The OSC’s telephone townhalls are like a call-in radio show. We provide listeners with expert advice and answer your questions. It’s a way for the Investor Office to connect with you in the comfort of your own home.
During our telephone townhall we share lots of useful information. But you might not have had time to write it all down. That’s why we put together this handy reference.
On this page you’ll find
Who to call if you are the victim of investment fraud
- Ontario Securities Commission: 1-877-785-1555 or inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca
- Your local police
- The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501
Websites to help you stay safe
- CheckBeforeYouInvest.ca
- FraudPreventionMonth.ca
- OSC issues Investor Warnings and Alerts
- SEDAR.com – the official site that provides access to most public securities documents and information filed by issuers with the thirteen provincial and territorial securities regulatory authorities (Canadian Securities Administrators) in the SEDAR filing system.
- Find out if a crypto trading platform is registered in Ontario
- GetSmarterAboutCrypto.ca
Tips to help you avoid frauds
Always remember the 4 signs of fraud:
- High returns and low risk.
- Hot tip or insider information.
- Pressure to buy now.
- Seller not registered to sell investments.
Keep an eye out for the ways fraudsters will try to trick you:
- Grandparent scams – when someone contacts you pretending to be your grandchild and they need money urgently. They could also pretend to be a friend of a family member, a law enforcement official, or another family member, such as a niece or nephew, who needs help with quick cash to cover medical bills or bail or some other “emergency”.
- Phishing – If you’re getting texts from seemingly legitimate sources asking you for personal information, it could be a phishing attempt. Phishing scams are increasingly common. Protect yourself by learning how to spot phishing attempts and other variations of this scam.
- Pump and dump scams – when you’re offered an incredible deal on a stock. As the fraudster promotes the stock, more people buy and the price is driven up. Then the fraudster sells all of their stock. The value falls dramatically and investors are left with stock worth much less than what they paid.
- Recovery room scams – when someone contacts you offering to help you get money back that you lost to a scam. Some scammers sell their victim’s contact details to other scammers. This second set of scammers pretend to be good guys who promise to help you get your money back — for a fee. Once the fee is paid, the scammer disappears, and you never see your money or the original amount you lost.
- Romance scams – when someone plays on your emotions to build trust and then asks for money for an investment opportunity or emergency and promises they’ll pay you back.
- Affinity fraud – when you’re contacted through a group you belong to by a fraudster who tries to gain your trust. They may volunteer with the group, attend social events for that particular group and may build relationships with group leaders to gain acceptance and endorsement.
- Red flags of crypto fraud – investing in crypto assets may sound intriguing but make sure you know the red flags of crypto fraud.
Tips to fraud proof your life
- Checklist for protecting your financial information
- What to watch for if you’re investing using information found on social media
- Spotting fakes and verifying legitimate websites — Don’t be fooled by good looking websites.
Resources for helping you make smart investment choices
- Finding an advisor
- Trusted Contact Person
- Watch our new video explaining who a trusted contact person can be
- Client focused reforms
- How to know when it’s time to change your financial advisor
