Durham Region Scam Alert Board

High alert · Durham Jewelry distraction thefts in parking lots and driveways Strangers approach with a story, cheap jewellery to sell, or an unwanted hug, and slip your real chain or ring off while you are distracted. In-person scam · Reported in Durham

In June 2026, Durham police announced 46 arrests tied to a network behind more than 200 incidents and 2.6 million dollars in losses across Durham and the GTA. The most common version: someone approaches you at a gas station, parking lot, or your own driveway, offers to sell "gold" jewellery, drapes a fake chain on you as a gift, or hugs you in gratitude, and your real jewellery leaves with them. The same network ran a used-car trick where a "buyer" secretly damages your vehicle during a viewing, then uses the damage to talk the price down.

What to do

• Keep your distance from strangers who try to get physical, drape anything on you, or hug you. Step back and walk away.
• Never buy jewellery from someone who approaches you in a parking lot. There is no bargain, only a switch.
• Selling a car? Have a second person with you and never leave the buyer alone with the vehicle.
• Report incidents to Durham police at 1-888-579-1520.

Source: CBC News ↗ Source: Durham Radio News ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

High alert · Durham Bank investigator scam: they come to your door for your card A caller pretends to be your bank's fraud team, then sends someone to your home to collect your bank card. Phone call scam · Reported in Durham

The call appears to come from your bank, sometimes with the real bank number showing on call display. The caller already knows your name, address, and phone number, and claims there are fraud charges on your card. To "protect your account" they say an investigator will come by to pick up your card, or they ask for your PIN over the phone. Nearly 100 people across the GTA fell for this in 2025, including 41 reported in Durham Region.

What to do

• Hang up. Your bank will never send anyone to collect your card and will never ask for your PIN.
• Call your bank yourself using the number printed on the back of your card.
• If you handed over a card, call your bank immediately to cancel it, then report to DRPS at 1-888-579-1520.

Source: CP24 ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed? · My account was hacked, what now?

High alert · Durham Grandparent scam, now with AI-cloned voices A caller claims to be your grandchild in jail and needs bail money today. Some calls now use a cloned copy of the real grandchild's voice. Phone call scam · Reported in Durham

The call starts with a panicked young voice: "Grandma, I have been arrested, please do not tell Mom." The phone is then passed to a fake police officer or lawyer who demands cash, sometimes sending a courier to collect it. Scammers can now clone a grandchild's voice from short clips posted on social media, which makes the call sound real. Canadians lost almost 3 million dollars to this scam in 2024, and DRPS has charged people in Durham investigations.

What to do

• Hang up and call your grandchild or their parents back on their usual number.
• Agree on a family code word now, before any call like this happens.
• Never hand cash or gift cards to a courier. Police and courts never collect bail this way.

Source: CBC Marketplace ↗ Source: Durham Regional Police ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

High alert · Durham Fake Microsoft virus pop-up with a phone number A full-screen warning says your computer is infected and tells you to call a support number. The number reaches a scammer. Pop-up scam · Reported in Durham

While browsing, your screen suddenly fills with an alarming virus warning, often with a loud alert sound. It looks like it comes from Microsoft and shows a toll-free number. If you call, a polite "technician" asks for remote access to your computer, shows you fake problems, then charges hundreds of dollars, asks for gift cards, or quietly opens your online banking. Durham residents have reported these calls and pop-ups locally.

What to do

• Do not call the number. Real Microsoft warnings never include a phone number.
• Close the browser. If it will not close, hold the power button to restart the computer.
• If you already gave someone remote access, disconnect from the internet and change your passwords from a different device, starting with banking and email.

Source: The Oshawa Express ↗ Source: Microsoft ↗

Related: A virus warning popped up, is it real? · My account was hacked, what now?

High alert CRA refund texts and emails around tax season Messages about a waiting refund or an account problem link to a fake CRA login page that steals your details. Text and email scam · Reported across Ontario

These messages spike from February to May. They say "claim your refund" or "update your account" and link to a page that looks exactly like the CRA sign-in. Entering your details gives scammers your SIN, banking information, or CRA login. The CRA never sends refunds by e-transfer or text, and never pressures you to click a link to avoid a penalty.

What to do

• Delete the message. Do not click the link, even out of curiosity.
• Check your real CRA account by typing canada.ca into your browser yourself.
• If you entered details on a fake page, call your bank, then report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Source: OPP warning ↗

Related: How to spot a phishing email · How do I stop spam email?

High alert The "safe account" scam: tech support, then your bank, then the government Three callers in a row convince you your savings are at risk and must be moved to a safe account. The safe account is theirs. Phone and computer scam · Widely reported

It starts with a pop-up, text, or call from fake tech support saying your computer or account was hacked. They transfer you to someone posing as your bank, who confirms the "breach". Finally a fake government official tells you to move your money to a protected account, often pressuring you to keep it secret from family. This scam has drained more than a billion dollars, mostly from seniors, since 2024.

What to do

• Hang up. Banks and governments never ask you to move money to protect it.
• Never download software or give remote access because a caller told you to.
• Talk to someone you trust before moving any money. Secrecy is the scammer's main tool.

Source: FBI warning ↗

Related: A virus warning popped up, is it real? · My account was hacked, what now?

High alert Hydro disconnection threats demanding instant payment A caller claims to be your utility company and threatens to cut your power today unless you pay right now. Phone call scam · Reported across Ontario

The caller says your account is overdue and a crew is on the way to disconnect your service. To stop them you must pay immediately, usually by prepaid card, gift card, or Bitcoin. Ontario's four largest utilities issued a joint warning about this during Fraud Prevention Month. Real utilities send written notices first and never demand same-day payment by gift card.

What to do

• Hang up and call your utility using the number printed on your actual bill.
• Never pay a utility bill with gift cards, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrency. No real utility accepts them.
• Note that Ontario has a winter disconnection ban for residential electricity customers.

Source: Ontario utilities ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

High alert 407 ETR toll texts about an overdue balance A text says you owe tolls and a 25 dollar administrative fee is about to be added, with a link to a fake 407 site. Text message scam · Reported across the GTA

The texts create urgency: pay now or the fee goes up. The link leads to a convincing copy of the 407 ETR website that captures your card details. Some messages even include the real 407 ETR phone number at the bottom to look legitimate. 407 ETR issued a formal warning in November 2025 after a surge in reports. With so many Durham commuters using the 407, these texts land here constantly.

What to do

• Do not tap the link. 407 ETR never asks for passwords or card details by text.
• Check your balance only at 407etr.com typed into your browser, or in the official app.
• Report the text to 7726 (SPAM) and delete it.

Source: 407 ETR ↗

Related: How to spot a phishing email

High alert Canada Post texts about a held package A text says your package cannot be delivered due to an incomplete address, linking to a near-perfect fake Canada Post site. Text message scam · Reported across Canada

The fake site copies Canada Post's design exactly. It asks you to confirm your address, then requests a small card payment of a dollar or two to "release" the package. The real goal is your full card number. These texts are sent in waves, so they often arrive when you really are expecting a parcel, which makes them convincing.

What to do

• Delete the text. Canada Post never charges a fee by text to release a delivery.
• Track packages only through canadapost.ca or the retailer's own order page.
• If you entered card details, call your card company right away to block the card.

Source: Canada Post ↗

Related: How to spot a phishing email · How do I stop spam email?

High alert Facebook Marketplace scams targeting sellers and car buyers Fake buyers send e-transfer "deposit" links that steal your bank login. Fake car listings demand deposits before you ever see the vehicle. Online marketplace scam · Reported across Ontario

If you are selling: a buyer says they will send a deposit and texts you a link that looks exactly like your bank's e-transfer page. It is actually a reverse e-transfer request. Logging in hands the scammer your bank credentials. One Ottawa seller lost 700 dollars overnight from a 100 dollar coat listing. Police call this the current "hot fraud" against sellers. If you are buying: too-cheap vehicle listings pressure you to e-transfer a deposit before viewing the car, or the car is stolen with falsified paperwork.

What to do

• Never log in to your bank from a link someone sends you. Open your banking app yourself.
• For local sales, deal in cash or verify an e-transfer arrived inside your own banking app before handing anything over.
• Never send a deposit for a vehicle you have not seen. Verify ownership before paying anything.

Source: CBC News ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed? · My account was hacked, what now?

High alert Crypto investment scams that start with a charming stranger Someone you met online shows you their trading profits and offers to teach you. The platform is fake and your money is gone the moment you send it. Online investment scam · Reported across Ontario

It often starts with a wrong-number text or a social media message that turns into weeks of chatting. Eventually they mention how well their crypto investments are doing and offer to help you start small. The trading site shows your balance growing, so you invest more. When you try to withdraw, there are sudden fees, taxes, and then silence. Ontarians lost about 23 million dollars to this in just nine months. Police call it pig butchering because victims are fattened up before the slaughter.

What to do

• Treat any investment offer from someone you only know online as a scam. There are no exceptions that matter.
• Never install trading apps or send crypto at a stranger's direction.
• If you have already sent money, stop sending more, even to "unlock" your balance. That is part of the scam. Report to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Source: CBC News ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

High alert Romance scams: months of attention, then the money requests An online relationship built over weeks or months turns into requests for money for emergencies, visas, or investments. Online romance scam · Reported across Canada

The person is attentive, consistent, and always has a reason they cannot video call or meet. Once trust is built, a crisis appears: a medical bill, a customs fee, a frozen bank account. Romance fraud was among the highest-loss frauds reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre in 2025, and it increasingly blends into crypto investment requests. Victims are often embarrassed to tell anyone, which is exactly what keeps the scam going.

What to do

• Never send money, gift cards, or crypto to someone you have not met in person. Not once.
• Try a reverse image search of their photos. Stolen photos are the norm in these scams.
• If this is happening to you or a family member, talk about it without judgement. Then report it. You are not alone and it is not your fault.

Source: Anti-Fraud Centre ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

High alert Fake job offers that ask you to pay to earn Unsolicited texts offer easy task-based work from your phone, but you must deposit your own money to unlock your earnings. Text message scam · Reported across Canada

The "job" is simple: like videos, review products, or complete app tasks for commission. Small payouts arrive at first to build trust. Then tasks start requiring deposits, and your growing "balance" can only be withdrawn after you pay fees. Canadians lost 22.7 million dollars to job scams in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Real employers never ask you to pay to work.

What to do

• Ignore job offers that arrive by random text or WhatsApp message.
• Never deposit your own money to receive wages or commissions. That is the scam.
• Research any company offering remote work and apply only through their official site.

Source: Yahoo Finance Canada ↗

Related: How to spot a phishing email

Watch for it Fake ServiceOntario texts: speeding tickets and sticker refunds Texts claim you have an unpaid camera speeding ticket or a licence plate sticker refund waiting. Text message scam · Reported across Ontario

The ticket version threatens licence suspension and credit damage if you do not pay by a deadline. The refund version offers money back for licence plate sticker fees. Both link to lookalike sites on odd domains. The messages often come from international numbers. Real Ontario government sites end in ontario.ca, and government notices about tickets arrive by mail, not text.

What to do

• Delete the text without tapping the link.
• If you are unsure about a ticket, contact ServiceOntario through ontario.ca directly.

Source: North Bay Police ↗ Source: CBC News ↗

Related: How to spot a phishing email

Watch for it Fake parking fine texts from a city "ticket department" Texts from a city parking department or an "Ontario Ticket Department" demand payment for an unpaid parking fine. Text message scam · Reported across the GTA

The text warns of late fees or collections if you do not pay the fine through the included link. No Ontario municipality texts about parking tickets, and there is no agency called the Ontario Ticket Department. The link harvests your card details on a fake payment page.

What to do

• Delete the text. Parking tickets in Ontario are left on your windshield or mailed.
• If you think you might actually have a ticket, look it up on your city's official website.

Source: Smith Investigation Agency ↗

Related: How to spot a phishing email · How do I stop spam email?

Watch for it Door-to-door driveway paving and roofing crews A crew "working in the area" offers a cheap paving or roofing job, takes a deposit, then disappears or leaves poor work. Door-to-door scam · Returns every spring

This one returns to Durham neighbourhoods every spring and summer. The pitch is leftover asphalt from a nearby job and a price that is only good today. Pressure to decide on the spot is the tell. Some victims pay large deposits and never see the crew again; others get a thin layer of asphalt that crumbles within months. The OPP warns these operations sometimes exploit vulnerable workers as well.

What to do

• Never agree to work or hand over money at the door. A real company will give you a written quote and time to decide.
• Get references and check reviews before hiring any contractor.
• Pay in stages, never a large amount up front.

Source: insauga ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

Watch for it Fake Enbridge gas inspection letters at GTA homes A counterfeit letter announces a gas meter inspection and lists a phone number that is run by scammers. Letter scam · Reported across the GTA

The letter looks official and asks you to call to book a mandatory gas meter and pipeline inspection. The number connects to scammers who collect personal information by phone and text, sometimes asking for payment or banking details. Enbridge confirms it does not sell door to door, does not offer billing discounts, and does not collect payments over the phone this way.

What to do

• Do not call numbers from unexpected letters. Call Enbridge using the number on your real bill.
• Ask for company ID from anyone who comes to your door about your gas service.

Source: Enbridge Gas ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed?

Watch for it Prize and lottery wins that need a fee first You are told you won a lottery or prize, but taxes or fees must be paid before it can be released, often by gift card. Phone and mail scam · Reported in Durham

The win arrives by phone, mail, or social media. The catch is always the same: pay a fee, tax, or insurance first, commonly with Apple gift cards or a wire transfer. After you pay, there is another fee, and another. The prize never existed. DRPS lists lottery fraud among the recurring scams targeting Durham seniors.

What to do

• Remember the rule: if you did not enter, you did not win. Real lotteries never charge winners to collect.
• Never buy gift cards as a payment for anything. Gift cards are for gifts only.

Source: Durham Regional Police ↗

Related: How do I know if I have been scammed? · How do I stop spam email?