What should you do if someone tries to scam you on classifieds websites?
In today's digital world, online commerce has become an integral part of millions of people's lives. Platforms such as Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other classifieds websites make it convenient to buy and sell goods and services right from your home. However, this convenient space is often exploited by scammers who develop increasingly sophisticated ways to deceive unsuspecting users. In Calgary, as in other large cities, online fraud is becoming an increasingly common problem that affects both experienced users and newcomers to e-commerce.
Fraudulent schemes on classified ad sites can take many forms, from simple ads for non-existent goods at attractive prices to complex operations involving fake bank transfers. Some scammers may use real third-party addresses to collect deposits, as happened to Calgary resident Heather Hudson, who was regularly visited by people looking for items they had paid for in advance to unknown scammers. Others create fake seller profiles with stolen product photos, requesting prepayment via non-refundable payment methods.
Immediate actions after detecting an attempted fraud
When you suspect that you have been targeted by online fraud, the first thing to do is to stop all contact with the suspicious person. Do not respond to messages, send additional funds, or provide any personal information. If you have not yet made a payment, stop all financial transactions immediately. If the transaction has already taken place, time is of the essence — the faster you respond, the better your chances of stopping or recovering your funds.
If you used a bank transfer or debit card, call your bank immediately to block your account and dispute the transaction. Major Canadian banks have hotlines that operate 24 hours a day:
- TD Canada Trust — 1-866-222-3456
- RBC Royal Bank — 1-800-769-2511
- BMO — 1-877-225-5266
- Scotiabank — 1-800-472-6842
- CIBC — 1-800-465-2422
Banks have strict protocols for handling fraudulent transactions and can block suspicious transactions within hours of being notified.
If you sent money through a money transfer service such as Western Union or MoneyGram, contact these companies immediately. In many cases, if the transaction has not yet been completed by the recipient, it can be canceled. Western Union has a 24-hour fraud reporting hotline, and MoneyGram offers similar services for customers who have been victims of scams.
Gathering and preserving evidence
Documenting all the details of the fraudulent scheme is critical to a successful investigation and possible recovery of funds. Create a detailed log of events, including dates, times, names (even if they are fake), phone numbers, email addresses, and descriptions of all interactions with the scammer. Take screenshots of all messages, emails, advertisements, and any other relevant information before it disappears or is deleted.
Keep copies of all financial documents related to the fraud: bank transfer receipts, credit card statements, checks, or electronic payment confirmations. If you communicated with the scammer by phone, write down the numbers from which the calls came and the times of the conversations. This information may be valuable to law enforcement during their investigation.
Do not delete messages or emails from the scammer, even if they seem offensive or embarrassing. This correspondence may contain important evidence, such as IP addresses, metadata, or linguistic patterns that can help identify the perpetrator. Make backup copies of all information on multiple media or in cloud storage to protect yourself from accidental data loss.
Contacting the Calgary Police Service
The next step is to officially report the incident to the Calgary Police Service. For non-urgent matters, call the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or file a report online through the Calgary Police Service's official website. The police have a special economic crimes unit that deals with online fraud and cybercrime investigations.
When filing your report, be prepared to provide a detailed timeline of events, including all evidence you have collected. The police officer will assign a case number to your case, which you should keep for future reference when contacting your bank, insurance company, or other organizations. This case number is required for most reimbursement procedures and serves as official confirmation that you have been the victim of a crime.
The Calgary Police Service also cooperates with other law enforcement agencies and may transfer your case to the appropriate jurisdiction if the fraudster operated from another province or country. In cases involving children or online sexual exploitation, the police immediately involve specialized units and may coordinate efforts with federal agencies.
Reporting to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
In addition to contacting your local police, be sure to file a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), the national center for collecting information about fraud and identity theft. The CAFC can be contacted online through the Fraud Reporting System or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. Although the CAFC does not investigate individual cases, it collects data on fraudulent schemes across Canada and provides this information to law enforcement agencies to identify patterns and trends.
Reporting to the CAFC helps create a national database of fraudulent transactions, which allows organized crime groups to be identified and future victims to be warned. The center also publishes warnings about new types of fraud and provides valuable advice on how to protect yourself from online crime. Even if you haven't lost money but have noticed suspicious activity, reporting it to the CAFC can help prevent others from being scammed.
Protecting your financial accounts
Once you've detected an attempted scam, it's critical to protect all your financial accounts from further attacks. Change the passwords on all your bank accounts, especially if you have shared any personal information with the fraudster. Enable two-factor authentication on all financial accounts that support it and set up notifications for all transactions so that you are immediately informed of any suspicious activity.
Contact the credit bureaus Equifax Canada (1-800-465-7166) and TransUnion Canada to place fraud alerts on your credit report. These alerts will notify creditors that they need to verify your identity before opening new accounts or issuing credit in your name. Consider placing a credit freeze on your credit report, which completely blocks access to your credit history without your explicit permission.
Check your bank and credit account statements regularly for several months after the incident. Fraudsters sometimes use stolen information weeks or even months after the initial contact. If you discover any unauthorized transactions, report them immediately to your bank and the police.
Contacting classified ad platforms
Most classified ad sites have their own systems for reporting fraud and suspicious activity. On Facebook Marketplace, you can report a user or ad directly through the platform, which can lead to the fraudulent account being blocked and the fake ad being removed. Kijiji has a similar reporting system where you can flag suspicious users and false ads.
When filing a report on the platform, provide as many details as possible: screenshots of conversations, ad numbers, user names, and descriptions of the scam. Platforms use this information to improve their fraud detection algorithms and may block IP addresses or other identifiers associated with scammers.
Keep in mind that scammers often create multiple accounts, so blocking one profile does not guarantee that they will not reappear under a different name. Therefore, it is important to remain vigilant even after reporting an incident.
Legal options and reimbursement
Depending on the circumstances of the fraud, you may have various legal options for recovering your lost funds. If you made the payment by credit card, you have the right to dispute the transaction (chargeback) in accordance with the rules of Visa, Mastercard, or other payment systems. Banks are required to review your claim and may refund your money if they determine that the transaction was fraudulent.
For more complex cases or significant financial losses, consider consulting with a lawyer. Calgary Legal Guidance provides free legal advice to low-income individuals and can help you determine whether you have grounds for a civil lawsuit against the fraudster. In some cases, you may also be eligible for provincial crime victim restitution programs.
If the fraud involves a specific business or service, you can file a complaint with the Service Alberta Consumer Investigations Unit. This agency investigates violations of consumer protection laws and can impose fines on unscrupulous companies or help you recover your losses.
Preventing future incidents
After you have experienced an online fraud attempt, it is important to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. Always conduct transactions in person in public places such as shopping malls, coffee shops, or even police stations. Many police departments, including the Edmonton Police Service, have set up special exchange areas for online purchases equipped with surveillance cameras.
Never send money, personal information, or documents to people you have not met in person. Avoid payments through irreversible methods such as money transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies. Instead, use bank transfers, checks, or cash during face-to-face meetings.
Check sellers' profiles for signs of legitimacy: long-standing accounts with real friends and activity, positive reviews from other users, willingness to video chat or meet in person. Be especially cautious with listings that are significantly below market value or when the seller is rushing the deal.
Community support and educational resources
Calgary has an active community of online platform users who share their experiences and warn each other about new types of scams. Reddit communities such as r/Calgary regularly post warnings about suspicious users and new scams. Facebook groups for local buyers and sellers can also be a valuable source of information about reliable traders.
Calgary Crime Stoppers provides an anonymous hotline 1-800-222-8477 to report suspicious activity. While they primarily focus on serious crimes, they also collect information about organized fraud operations that may affect many victims.
Educational resources such as Get Cyber Safe from the Government of Canada provide regularly updated information on new types of online fraud and ways to protect yourself. The CAFC also publishes annual reports on fraud trends to help the public stay informed about the evolution of cybercrime.
Conclusion
Online fraud on classified ad sites is a serious problem, but with the right approach, you can protect yourself and help fight these crimes. If you are the victim of a fraud attempt, remember: a quick response is key. Immediately cease contact with the scammer, save all evidence, report it to the police and CAFC, protect your financial accounts, and consider legal options for reimbursement. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask for help. Fraud can happen to anyone, regardless of their level of education or experience with technology. Calgary has a comprehensive system of support for victims of crime, from law enforcement to community organizations, that are ready to help you through this difficult process and get you back to a safe online life.