Common Scam & Extortion Patterns

Common Scam & Extortion Patterns

Protecting Our Community Through Knowledge

Scammers specifically target South Asian communities because they know our cultural values—respect for authority, family honor, community reputation, and desire to avoid conflict. Understanding these patterns is your first line of defense.

This guide will help you recognize scams, understand why they’re fake, and know exactly what to do. Knowledge is power. You are not alone.

📞 Phone Scams

Immigration Officer Scams

How to Recognize It:

• Caller claims to be from IRCC, CBSA, or “Immigration Services”
• Says there’s a “problem” with your status, visa, or application
• Creates urgency: “You’ll be deported within 24 hours”
• Demands immediate payment to “fix” the issue
• Asks you to stay on the line and not tell anyone
• Caller ID may show a government-looking number (these can be faked)

What They Typically Demand:

• Immediate payment to “clear your file”
• Personal information (SIN, passport numbers, banking details)
• That you purchase gift cards and read them the codes

Why It’s a Scam:

• IRCC and CBSA never call demanding immediate payment
• Immigration matters are handled through official written correspondence
• No government agency accepts gift cards as payment—ever
• Real officers identify themselves with badge numbers and can be verified
• You always have the right to seek legal counsel before any immigration decision

What to Do:

1. Hang up immediately—this is not rude, it’s smart
2. Never give personal information to incoming callers
3. If concerned about your immigration status, contact IRCC directly using the number on their official website
4. Report the call to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501

CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) Scams

How to Recognize It:

• Caller claims you owe back taxes or have committed tax fraud
• Threatens immediate arrest, deportation, or police action
• Demands payment right now, often in unusual forms
• Uses aggressive, threatening language
• Pressures you not to hang up or consult anyone
• May leave threatening voicemails

What They Typically Demand:

• Payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer
• Your SIN, banking information, or credit card numbers
• That you pay “to avoid arrest today”

Why It’s a Scam:

• The real CRA never threatens arrest on a phone call
• CRA communicates tax debts through official mail first
• CRA never demands gift cards or cryptocurrency
• CRA never asks for payment to avoid immediate arrest
• You always have the right to dispute, appeal, or arrange payment plans
• Real CRA calls allow you to verify by calling back their official number

What to Do:

1. Hang up—real CRA will send you a letter
2. Check My Account on the official CRA website for any actual notices
3. Call CRA directly at 1-800-959-8281 if you want to verify
4. Report the scam call to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

Police Impersonation Scams

How to Recognize It:

• Caller claims to be from local police, RCMP, or Interpol
• Says a warrant has been issued for your arrest
• Claims you’re implicated in a crime (money laundering, fraud)
• Demands you prove your innocence by cooperating
• Tells you not to tell anyone—”part of the investigation”
• May ask you to verify your identity by providing personal details

What They Typically Demand:

• Money to “clear your name” or post “bail”
• Your personal and financial information
• That you follow their instructions exactly
• Secrecy from family and friends

Why It’s a Scam:

• Real police don’t call to demand money for warrants
• If there were a real warrant, officers would appear in person
• Police never ask you to pay to avoid arrest
• Real investigations don’t require you to prove innocence over the phone
• Police will always allow you to have a lawyer present

What to Do:

1. Hang up immediately
2. If someone claims to be police, call your local police non-emergency line to verify
3. Never provide personal information to prove your innocence
4. Report to Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

“Your Family Member Is in Trouble” Scams

How to Recognize It:

• Caller claims your child, grandchild, or relative has been arrested, injured, or kidnapped
• May have a second person pretending to be your relative, crying or distressed
• Creates extreme urgency—”They need bail NOW”
• Begs you not to call other family members or verify
• May know some details about your family (gathered from social media)

What They Typically Demand:

• Immediate cash, wire transfer, or gift cards for “bail” or “hospital bills”
• That you act immediately without verifying
• Secrecy—”Don’t tell other family members, it will make things worse”

Why It’s a Scam:

• Real emergencies can be verified—scammers depend on panic preventing verification
• Police and hospitals don’t demand immediate gift card payments
• A real family member in custody gets a phone call and you can call the facility directly
• Bail has a documented process through courts, not phone payments

What to Do:

1. Stop and breathe—scammers rely on panic
2. Tell them you’ll call back after you verify
3. Hang up and call your family member directly on their known number
4. Call other family members to confirm everyone’s safety
5. If they claim to be at a police station or hospital, look up that facility’s number independently and call them
6. Report the attempt to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

💻 Online & Romance Scams

Sextortion

How to Recognize It:

• Someone you met online encourages sexual conversation or photo/video exchange
• They may pretend to share intimate content first to build trust
• After you share anything, they threaten to send it to your family, employer, or community
• They may claim to have recorded you through your webcam (often a bluff)
• Creates shame and urgency: “Pay now or I send this to everyone”

What They Typically Demand:

• Money to “delete” the content
• More explicit content (which leads to more blackmail)
• Ongoing payments with threats of exposure if you stop

Why It’s a Scam:

• This is a crime—extortion is illegal regardless of how the content was obtained
• Paying almost never makes it stop—it proves you’ll pay and leads to more demands
• Many threats to “release” content are bluffs to extract payment
• Even if content exists, there are resources to help
• You are not the one who did something wrong—the extortionist is the criminal

What to Do:

1. Do not pay—payment typically leads to continued demands
2. Stop all communication with the extortionist
3. Do not delete messages—screenshot and save everything as evidence
4. Report to police and cybertip.ca (Canadian Centre for Child Protection)
5. If content is posted online, report to the platform for removal
6. Reach out to support services like Cybertip.ca or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
7. Talk to someone you trust—shame is the scammer’s weapon, not yours

Remember: Many people have survived this. The shame belongs to the criminal, not to you.

Romance Scams / Fake Relationships

How to Recognize It:

• Person met online moves very quickly to expressions of deep love
• They have an excuse for why they can never video chat or meet in person
• Their story involves being abroad (military, oil rig, overseas business)
• Eventually, they have an “emergency” and need money
• May involve a family member who needs medical care, a business deal gone wrong, or travel costs to finally meet you

What They Typically Demand:

• Money for emergencies, travel, medical bills, or business problems
• Help receiving or transferring money (you become part of money laundering)
• Personal information that could be used for identity theft

Why It’s a Scam:

• Someone who truly loves you doesn’t ask for money before meeting you
• Repeated emergencies that only money can solve is a pattern, not bad luck
• If they can never video chat or meet, they’re hiding their real identity
• Real relationships don’t require financial rescue

What to Do:

1. Be skeptical of intense romantic attention from strangers online
2. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person
3. Reverse image search their photos—scammers steal photos from other people’s profiles
4. Talk to trusted friends or family about the relationship—outside perspective helps
5. If you’ve sent money, report to police and your bank immediately
6. Report the profile to the platform

🏪 Business Extortion

Protection Rackets

How to Recognize It:

• Strangers visit your business offering “protection” or “security services”
• Implied or direct threats about what might happen if you don’t pay
• May reference other businesses that “chose to cooperate”
• Threats of vandalism, violence, or harm to your business or family
• Regular “fee” collection expected

What They Typically Demand:

• Regular cash payments for “protection”
• Compliance with their demands
• Silence—”Don’t involve police”

Why It’s a Scam:

• This is organized crime, not a legitimate business arrangement
• Paying doesn’t guarantee safety—it makes you a continued target
• This is extortion and is taken very seriously by police
• Business owners who have reported have been protected

What to Do:

1. Do not agree to payment or make any commitments
2. Document everything: dates, descriptions, what was said
3. Contact police—organized crime units specifically handle these cases
4. Connect with your local business association—strength in numbers
5. Talk to other business owners—you may not be alone
6. Consider security cameras and improved security measures

Remember: Many business owners feel alone in this situation, but police have successfully addressed protection rackets when business owners come forward together.

Threats Against Shops and Restaurants

How to Recognize It:

• Threats to damage your business or harm employees
• Demands tied to specific “fees” or compliance
• Threats to report (real or fabricated) violations to authorities
• Negative online review threats unless you pay
• Claims that they have “connections” that could hurt your business

What They Typically Demand:

• Cash payments
• Free goods or services
• Silence and compliance

Why It’s a Scam:

• Legitimate complaints go through proper channels—extortion demands secrecy and payment
• Threatening to file false reports is itself a crime
• Real review platforms have processes to address fake reviews
• Giving in teaches them you’re a reliable target

What to Do:

1. Document all threats and interactions
2. Report to police—this is criminal extortion
3. If threats are made online, preserve screenshots with timestamps
4. Report fake or extortionate reviews to the platform
5. Connect with local business improvement associations
6. Consider a consultation with a lawyer about your options

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-Based Threats

Using Family Reputation

How to Recognize It:

• Someone threatens to reveal information to your family that would bring shame
• May involve past relationships, sexual orientation, personal choices
• Exploits the high value our communities place on family honor
• Threats to tell parents, in-laws, or extended family

What They Typically Demand:

• Money for silence
• Control over your choices (who you marry, where you work, etc.)
• Ongoing compliance with their demands

Why It’s a Scam:

• Your life choices are yours—someone weaponizing them is a criminal
• This is extortion, which is illegal regardless of what information they hold
• Paying for silence rarely works—it invites repeated demands
• Your worth is not determined by someone else’s judgment

What to Do:

1. Remember: the person threatening you is the one acting shamefully, not you
2. Consider whether the “secret” they hold is actually as damaging as they claim
3. Many families, when given the chance, are more supportive than expected
4. Document all threats
5. Report to police—this is criminal extortion
6. Consider talking to a counselor or support organization about your options
7. You may have more control than the extortionist wants you to believe

Honor-Based Manipulation

How to Recognize It:

• Uses concepts of family honor to control your behavior
• Threats connected to marriage decisions, career choices, or personal relationships
• May come from within your own family or extended community
• Uses shame, guilt, and fear of bringing dishonor
• Isolation from support systems or outside help

What They Typically Demand:

• Compliance with their decisions about your life
• Silence about abuse or control
• Cutting off relationships they don’t approve of
• Obedience justified by “family honor”

Why This Is Wrong:

• True family honor includes treating family members with dignity and respect
• Coercion and threats are not expressions of love or tradition
• You have the right to make your own life decisions
• Many cultural and religious leaders oppose the misuse of honor concepts for control
• Support exists specifically for these situations

What to Do:

1. Your safety is the priority—create a safety plan if needed
2. Connect with organizations that understand cultural context (see resources below)
3. Know that leaving or reporting doesn’t mean abandoning your culture—it means rejecting abuse
4. Document threats if safe to do so
5. Reach out to services that specialize in supporting South Asian community members

🛡️ General Principles for All Scams

Red Flags That Apply to Every Scam

• Urgency: “You must act NOW” is almost always manipulation
• Secrecy: “Don’t tell anyone” protects the scammer, not you
• Unusual Payment Methods: Gift cards, wire transfers, and cryptocurrency are scammer favorites because they’re hard to trace
• Threats: Real institutions don’t threaten you into compliance
• Too Good to Be True: If it seems unbelievable, it probably is

Your Rights

• You have the right to hang up any phone call
• You have the right to verify any claim with official sources
• You have the right to consult a lawyer, family member, or trusted friend
• You have the right to take time before making any decision
• You have the right to report threats to police

If You’ve Already Paid

If you’ve already paid money to a scammer:

1. Don’t be ashamed—these are professional criminals who are very good at manipulation
2. Report to your bank immediately—some transactions can be reversed
3. Report to police
4. Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
5. Stop all further payments—paying more won’t get your money back
6. Share your experience to help others avoid the same trap

📚 Resources

Reporting Scams

• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501

  antifraudcentre.ca

• Local Police: Non-emergency line for your area

• Cybertip.ca: For online exploitation

  cybertip.ca

Support Services

• South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario: 416-487-6371
• South Asian Women’s Centre: 416-537-2276
• MOSAIC: 604-254-9626 (BC)
• Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime: 1-877-232-2610

Verifying Government Contacts

• CRA: 1-800-959-8281
• IRCC: 1-888-242-2100
• CBSA: 1-800-461-9999

💪 Final Thoughts

Scammers count on shame, isolation, and silence. Your power lies in knowledge, community, and speaking up.

• Being targeted by a scam says nothing about your intelligence—these criminals are professionals
• Recognizing a scam and not falling for it is a victory
• Sharing information with others protects your whole community
• If you’ve been victimized, you are not alone and help is available

Our culture values community and looking out for one another. Sharing this information with family and friends—especially elders who may be targeted—is one of the most powerful things you can do.

Last updated: February 2026

If you’ve encountered a scam not listed here, please share with our community resources so we can help protect others.