Scams are tricks that people play on others to obtain their personal and financial information and the victims of these scams can face serious hardships. An average student will come across many scams on their day-to-day activities online or by phone.
Carleton University Office of Student Affairs has some extensive resources and information about common scams on their website.
October 2023 Presentation
Canada Revenue Agency (Government of Canada) hosted a webinar on October 11, 2023 which covered some recent scam examples and tips on how to protect yourself.
April 2023 Presentation
Carleton Campus Safety Services and the International Student Services Office hosted a virtual presentation on April 13, 2023 to share information about scams and fraudulent activity that could affect our Carleton Community.
What to do if you’ve been a victim of a scam
- Contact Ottawa Police Call Centre at 613-236-1222, extension 7300 to file a report as a report cannot be filed online.
- Contact Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by going to their website or by calling 1-888-465-8501.
- Contact Campus Safety Services if the incident was in relation to Carleton University in any way, especially if there is an immediate on campus risk to you or someone you know; open 24/7, 365 days a year.
- Request a copy of your credit bureau report – in certain instances, this report may be free of charge. Request that a “Fraud Warning” be placed on your credit file instructing creditors to contact you personally before opening new accounts in your name – these warnings remain on file for 6 years. Remember to contact and file fraud warnings with both bureaus.
- Get help from Carleton resources such as Health and Counselling, Student Affairs or the ISSO.
If you encounter a suspicious message, website or phone call, please contact Carleton’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Service Desk at its.service.desk@carleton.ca or 613-520-3700. If you are scammed or click on a link in your Carleton email, please change your Carleton account password right away and contact the ITS Service Desk.
Students who are concerned that they may have been the victim or target of a scam can contact the Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@carleton.ca or 613-520-2600 extension 3126 or contact our International Student Services Office at isso@carleton.ca.