January 14,2026
RED FM News Desk
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) is warning Canadians about a growing number of reports linked to the so-called “bank investigator” scam, in which fraudsters pose as banks, law enforcement agencies, online retailers like Amazon, or credit bureaus.
According to the CAFC, scammers contact victims claiming their bank account has been compromised. To appear legitimate, they may already have access to personal details such as a person’s name, date of birth, address, phone number, Social Insurance Number (SIN) or debit card information. Fraudsters also use call spoofing, making fake calls appear to come from trusted institutions.
Authorities say the scam currently appears in several forms.
In one version, victims receive automated calls claiming fraudulent transactions have occurred and are then asked to give remote access to their computer or device. Victims may be shown fake transactions and convinced to send money as part of a supposed investigation.
In other cases, scammers trick victims into sharing multi-factor authentication codes, giving criminals full access to bank accounts. Some fraudsters even visit victims’ homes to collect debit or credit cards, sometimes threatening arrest if victims refuse to cooperate.
The CAFC stresses that banks, police, and credit bureaus such as Equifax Canada and TransUnion will never ask for passwords, one-time codes, remote computer access, or request cards or money transfers for security reasons.
Canadians are advised to hang up on suspicious calls, verify contacts independently, and report suspected scams to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
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