Resources

Protect yourself from scams

Student Success Office

Phone, text message, and web-based scams are on the rise in Canada. Fraudsters invent new schemes and strategies daily. It is vital that students learn how to identify illegitimate claims to protect themselves.

Scammers use fear and cause confusione to manipulate us. If you receive a call or text from an unfamiliar number, ignore it. If someone you do not know insists they are trying to help you but uses intimidation or threats, it is illegitimate. If you’re looking for housing and the price is too good to be true, it’s a scam.

Remember: even if a someone tells you to act quickly, it’s important to take your time and assess the situation carefully to avoid being scammed.  

Know the signs of a scam

Phone, email or text request warning signs:

Official agencies contact you for payment or personal information without warning
You are asked for your banking information or social insurance number (SIN)
You are asked to make payments in Bitcoin, through wire transfer or purchase gift cards
You feel threatened or are scared

Job offer warning signs:

You are promised a high-income for little or no effort
You are asked for banking information and to send a transfer to access work materials
You are asked to cash a cheque and to transfer part of the payment back to the company or individual
You are charged a fee for work related credentials and/or pay stubs to meet program or job requirements

Housing warning signs:

You are asked to send a deposit without seeing the rental unit
If you are asked to pay in cash. Use bank cheques, money orders or e-transfers after a legitimate rental agreement is signed
If there is no contract and you're asked to make a verbal agreement
If you're pressured to provide your Social Insurance Number and banking information
If the landlord or subletter is difficult to get a hold of
If you request to see the rental unit and the landlord or subletter declines
The rent amount seems too low for market value
The lease or sublet agreement doesn't seem complete
- See the Ontario Lease Agreement website to view a standard lease

Do your homework:

Don't give in to high-pressure tactics. Scammers often use these to trick you into making unsafe decisions.

Before you give money or information, make sure you know who you're dealing with:

Check if a charity is real – search the Canada Revenue Agency's database
Confirm collection agencies – contact your provincial agency
Find a company's real number – look online and call them directly to confirm the previous call
Double-check with your credit card company – call the phone number on the back of your card
Talk to family – if someone claims a relative is in trouble, verify with other family members

Tip: If you receive a threatening phone call, hang up even if the caller tells you not to. Write down everything you remember from the call (e.g., phone number, badge number, where they claim to be calling from, details of the request, etc.). Call the Waterloo Regional Police Service non-emergency line to discuss the call with an officer.

Video resources

Other resources

If you suspect you may be the victim of a scam, it is important to come forward. There are resources available to support you. Reporting will not have an impact on your academic standing with Waterloo or your Canadian visa.  

If you suspect you may be the victim of a scam, contact: