Protecting yourself from consumer fraud and scams.

• Author: Till-Rogers, Margo

Been offered tickets for a free cruise? Received a heartfelt plea to help a distant relative? Had a bank or credit card company email you for your password and account details? You may have been contacted by scammers looking for your money or your personal information. Every year Canadians lose millions of dollars through consumer frauds and scams. These schemes can come via telephone, email, websites, text messaging, direct mail or even in person.

Scammers aren't choosy--they target people of all ages and backgrounds. Sometimes you may not even be aware that you've been the victim of a scam until unusual activity shows up on your credit card or bank statement. The first step you can take to protect yourself is to be aware of some of the tactics con artists use to rip you off. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) offers help in recognizing scams, including the old warning about 'if it sounds too good to be true ... ' The site outlines some of the most common schemes seen in Canada such as 419 scams (a.k.a Nigerian or advance fee scams), cheque overpayment fraud, and so-called emergency scams (sometimes referred to as grandparent scams), where people are tricked into thinking they are sending money to a relative in need.

The RCMP is a key partner of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and their Scams and Fraud website includes information on scams targeting seniors, identity theft, email fraud and phishing, as well as fraud on the Internet. The Government of Canada has passed new anti-spam legislation which will take effect in July 1, 2014. If you have experienced identity theft or identity fraud, the RCMP's Identity Theft and Identity Fraud Victim Assistance Guide sets out some basic steps that you can follow to help minimize the negative impact and help prevent further crimes.

The Competition Bureau also works to prevent cases of fraud by helping Canadians to "recognize it, report it and stop it". The Bureau's Little Black Book of Scams contains information that can help you to protect yourself from becoming a victim of consumer fraud. The guide tells you what to look for before acting on an unsolicited offer and what to do if you get scammed.

Spam (a.k.a unsolicited or junk emails) is one of the most common methods used by scammers to get access to your personal or financial information. The Government of Canada has passed new anti-spam legislation which will take effect in July 1, 2014. Once in force, the new law will apply to any individual...