Jun 25, 2026
New survey data from credit reporting agency TransUnion is highlighting a concerning trend: Canadians are more likely to be targeted by digital fraud scams.
The survey of almost 13,000 individuals across the globe — of which nearly 1,000 were Canadian — was completed in 2025. The survey was focused on understanding the rate and impact of suspected digital fraud across 18 different countries.
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Canada in particular showed high levels of suspected fraud when using online communities (e.g. dating apps, forums) — compared to the global average of 8.3%, Canada came in at 11.9%. Compared to last year, Canada’s rate of suspected digital fraud rose 63%, while the global average dropped 36%.
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The median loss for victims of these crimes is $1,301, and in a time of a rising cost of living and other financial pinch points squeezing Canadians dry, a loss of this caliber can be financially devastating.
Those who partake in online video gaming are not immune to this worrying trend either, as the TransUnion study also reveals that suspected digital fraud rates for gamers rose 54% between 2024 and 2025.
Experts highlight how the rise of video gaming (an estimated 20 million Canadians play video games as of 2025) and online communities create ripe opportunities for bad actors to socially manipulate others for financial gain.
“This growth definitely then creates an incentive for fraudsters to enter these ecosystems to create relationship-driven fraud to not necessarily gain monetization right at that point in time, but to unpack that identity and build that relationship, build that trust to get the information they need to monetize it in the future,” TransUnion Canada’s director of fraud analytics, Andrew Sigfrid, told Global News in an interview.
In contrast to other forms of fraud such as cyberattacks, these scams are often carried out in one-on-one conversations over a period of weeks, months, or even years.
The objective is to build as much trust as possible with the victim so when the “ask” comes out, the victim complies quickly.
Why Canada is a bigger target for digital deceit
So, why is Canada being targeted more than other countries surveyed?
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Sigfrid pointed out two main drivers: the ubiquity of digital engagement and Canadians’ wealth.
“We’re a very digitally engaged population. So we do a lot of our interactions with trustworthy institutions through online banking, e-commerce, all these different channels that we interact with on a daily basis just creates [sic] a lot of digital engagement and a lot of touch points that fraudsters could potentially intercept,” Sigfrid said.
He also pointed out that Canada’s overall wealth is a magnet for bad actors, as they seek to find the most lucrative targets. According to Statistics Canada’s recent Financial Security Survey, the median household net worth in 2023 was just shy of $520,000.
Compared to other countries on the world stage, Canada is currently ranked 11th in overall gross domestic product (GDP) per the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
As one of the wealthiest countries in the world with a very online population, it’s understandable why digital scammers target the Great White North. So, what can Canadians do to better protect themselves from these inherent vulnerabilities?
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How Canadians can fight back against online relationship fraud
As more Canadians rely on digital communities or online dating for a sense of connection, the potential for bad actors to exploit these spaces rises in tandem. In fact, a survey from YMCA Canada in conjunction with Angus Reid found that 60% of Canadians feel disconnected from their physical communities.
So, how can Canadians protect themselves against scammers online? Here’s some advice to help you recognize which online connections are not in your best interest.
- Watch for isolating language. Fraudsters do not want other people knowing their relationship with you, as that increases the chances their facade will be exposed. Keep an eye out for language that isolates you from your in-person friends or family, or that tries to hide your relationship — this could be the beginnings of a scam.
- Be cautious of those who don’t want to meet in person. While online relationships or communities might never result in real-life meetups, take caution if someone is insisting that you provide financial help and has never met you in person.
- Be aware of emotional coercion. It’s typical for scammers to use emotionally manipulative language to prompt financial action from victims. Keep an eye out for responses that are coercive when a request for financial help is denied — that’s something a true friend would never do. Examples include using guilt, anger, or distress to push you to send funds.
If you are caught in a romance scam, report the crime to your local police immediately, and notify your financial institution, credit bureaus (e.g. Equifax, TransUnion) of the event. Because romance scams involve the victim voluntarily sending funds to a fraudster, it can be very difficult to be reimbursed or have the transfers reversed. Discussing the situation with your bank and the police will likely give you insight into your chances at recovery.
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Brett Surbey is a corporate paralegal with KMSC Law LLP and freelance writer who has written for Yahoo Finance Canada, Success Magazine, Publishers Weekly, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes Advisor and multiple academic journals. He and his family live in northern Alberta, Canada.
