These are the scams that affected Albertans the most in 2024

(Source: PUGUN SJ/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Every year, scammers steal millions of dollars from thousands of Canadians.

As technology has advanced, so have scams, evolving from the famous email scam of a Nigerian prince offering gold for money to selling fake cryptocurrency.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) receives thousands of reports of scams each month.

In 2023, it processed 63,789 fraud reports, there were 42,226 victims and $577 million was lost to fraud.

As of Oct. 31, 2024, it processed 40,623 reports, there were 28,634 victims and $503 million was lost to fraud.

Albertans account for 2,952 of the reports, 2,164 of the victims and lost more than $39 million between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30.

"However, it is important to note that the highest reported value scams do differ from the highest reported number of victim scams," said Christina Zoernig, a federal policing strategist with the RCMP.

"Some scams, such as spear phishing, are considered high dollar value but are not something that the public typically encounters."

The top five scams in terms of reports in Alberta in 2024 were:

In terms of actual victims in the province, these were the top five scams:

Finally, these were the top five scams that cost Albertans the most money:

"Generally speaking, these scams continue to rise each year and there is no notable seasonal shift with the fraud typologies," Zoernig said.

"From an investigative standpoint, we believe that this year’s top scams will likely carry over into the new year."

How to stay safe

There are numerous ways to fall victim to a scam, so how do you ensure you're protecting yourself?

In the modern world, many scams revolve around computers, such as hacking accounts, getting people to click on phishing links and skimming data over Wi-Fi networks.

The Government of Canada has resources online to help people learn how to protect themselves online.

Some tips include making unique passwords for all accounts and devices, not sharing sensitive information over email and being careful of how much and what kind of information you make public on social media.

When it comes to investing, the Alberta Securities Commission also has online learning tools to protect investors.

"Fraudsters follow a series of steps that are easy to identify," according to the Alberta Securities Commission. "Knowing the playbook will help you see what’s under the surface."

Anyone who thinks they may be the victim of fraud or is actively being targeted by fraud is encouraged to report it to their local law enforcement agency and the CAFC.

"The RCMP cannot overstate the importance of reporting by the public to police," said Zoernig. "We cannot investigate a crime if we are unaware that a crime has occurred and we cannot bring those responsible to justice.

"Most importantly, without your information, we cannot help prevent others from being victimized."

If you believe your personal or banking information may be compromised, you are also encouraged to report that to your bank and credit card company.

The CAFC website has lists and information on dozens of scams that target Canadians on its website.