During the holiday season we Torontonians are really generous in our support of many worthy causes. Unfortunately that also makes us easy marks for scam artists who are counting on our good natures in order to take advantage of our generosity.

When a scam artist takes advantage of you, he not only robs you, but robs money from legitimate charities that really need your help. Here are 2 of the most popular and effective holiday scams and how to avoid falling victim to them.

Fake Canvassers: Scam artists use names of charities that are similar to legitimate organizations or pretend to be canvassing for the real organization. But, they are really only ripping you off.

How not to fall victim:

• Ask for identification. All legitimate canvassers carry proper identification cards with a name and photo to prove they are working for the charity they claim to represent.
• Ask questions. Legitimate charities are happy to talk about their organization and give you all of the information that you need in order to make an informed decision.
• Never allow yourself to be pressured. Pressure tactics are sure sign that this is a scam.
• Ask for written information. Legitimate charities have plenty of literature about the organization and how and where the money will be spent.
• Request a receipt.

If you think that you may have been approached by a scammer, contact the organization that the canvasser says that he represents and verify that they have canvassers in the area. Contact Consumer Protection at
1-866-351-5655 or follow the link below to their website.
www.ontario.ca/consumerprotection

For more information on bogus charities and scams call the Ministry of Government Services at 416-326-8800 in Toronto or toll-free at
1-800-889-9768 or follow the link below to their website.
www.mgs.gov.on.ca

Internet Scams: The old adage holds true. If something appears to be too good to be true, it usually is. It is very easy to become a victim of an e-mail scam if you respond to unsolicited e-mail offers from unknown sources.

How not to fall victim:

• Don’t respond to e-mail from unknown senders.
• Don’t respond to e-mail with typos and misspellings in the subject line.
• Don’t respond to e-mails offering prices that couldn’t possibly be legitimate.
• Always use spam filters.
• Never reply to these e-mails – not even to unsubscribe. All that you will accomplish is to confirm that your e-mail address is active.
• Don’t post your e-mail address on public websites. This only invites spammers.
• Buying from unknown sources is a crapshoot. Make sure that you do your research and ensure that you are doing business with a legitimate enterprise.

If you are a victim of any type of fraud, contact Reporting Economic Crime On-Line at 1-888-495-8501 or follow the link below.
https://www.recol.ca/intro.aspx

Do you think that you are savvy enough not to be a victim of fraud? Follow the link below and take the Fraud Quiz. You may be surprised at the results.
http://www.abcfraud.ca/