Canadians lost $49 million in job scams last year and it's getting worse
Over 2,300 Canadians who reported falling victim to job and employment scams lost over $49 million in 2024, and the situation is only getting worse.
Jeff Horncastle, client and communications outreach officer at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), told Daily Hive that the actual numbers are likely higher.
“Fraud is significantly underreported in Canada, with conservative estimates putting reporting to the CAFC at only five to 10 per cent of incidents,” he said. “There are many reasons for under-reporting to the CAFC, including victims not knowing where and what to report, and victims being too ashamed or embarrassed to report.”
Losses have quadrupled from 2022 to 2024, and losses due to job scams are increasing in size. Between January and March 2025, 580 Canadians collectively lost a total of $22.7 million.
“Unfortunately, reported losses to employment/job scams have increased substantially over the past couple of years, largely due to reports related to crypto job scams,” said Horncastle.
What are the different types of job scams?
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Josh Planos, VP of marketing, communications, and PR at the Better Business Bureau (BBB), said job scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
After investment and crypto scams, employment scams are the second riskiest scam type, with a median dollar loss of $1,500.
“Common scams include being asked to deposit money to ‘unlock’ earnings, receiving fake cheques to buy equipment and return excess funds, or participating in crypto tasks or review platforms that require continuous deposits,” he said.
Planos said that some schemes include parcel mule scams, where people unknowingly forward stolen goods. Others may fall victim to identity theft scams that collect their sensitive personal information “under the guise of onboarding.”
He urges Canadians to research a company and verify details before proceeding.
“Scammers often impersonate real companies, use fake HR contacts, and reach out via WhatsApp or Signal,” stated Planos. “Red flags include unrealistic pay, vague job descriptions, requests for money or personal data, and job offers made without interviews.”
Horncastle is also warning Canadians about crypto job scams, in which victims earn a commission that is deposited into cryptocurrency accounts or wallets. They may also be asked to recruit other victims to increase their earnings.
“Similar to crypto investment scams, victims will see funds in their crypto account, but will not have the ability to withdraw the funds they have deposited and earned,” he said.
Common variations of job scams include jobs for personal assistants, mystery shoppers, financial agents, or debt collectors.
How can you protect yourself from job scams?
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Planos stated that job seekers are targeted with fake remote jobs promising high pay for minimal work. However, there are a few ways to spot them.
Here are some red flags to keep an eye out for:
- You’re offered the job immediately without an interview and with minimal screening
- Entry-level roles that promise high pay for minimal work
- You’re asked to deposit a cheque, then instructed to send money back before the cheque clears
- Unprofessional communication, such as poor grammar, vague job descriptions, or emails using free accounts like Gmail
- You’re asked for sensitive information too soon, such as a copy of your ID, SIN, or banking information
- You’re unable to verify the company, which has no legitimate website. It could also have mismatched contact details and fake job listings
According to Horncastle, most victims of fraud do not recover the money they have lost. Even if recovery isn’t guaranteed or if you haven’t lost money in a scam, he urges Canadians to report their experience to the CAFC.
“Reporting helps law enforcement identify trends, disrupt criminal operations, and protect others from falling victim,” he said.