What kind of fraud and identity theft information does the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre provide?

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) is a Canadian government resource that collects information on fraud and identity theft and publishes information about past and current scams affecting Canadians. It is useful if you want to understand which scams are circulating, how they typically work, and where to check whether a suspicious contact matches a known pattern. It is not a general consumer help desk, and the site does not present itself as offering compensation or recovery of lost money.

What the CAFC does

Based on the site's own description, the CAFC's role has two parts:

• Information collection — it gathers reports and data on fraud and identity theft.
• Information sharing — it provides information on past and current scams affecting Canadians.

That combination means the site functions as a public awareness and reporting hub rather than a service that resolves individual cases.

Types of information you can expect

The site is bilingual. Its landing page presents a language choice between English (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre) and Français (Centre antifraude du Canada), each with its own terms and conditions of use.

Who benefits from using it

• Individuals who received a suspicious call, email, text, or message and want to check whether it resembles a known scam.
• People concerned about identity theft who want to understand what it involves and how it is reported.
• Anyone tracking current scam trends in Canada, since the site covers both past and current frauds.

What it does not claim to do

The available site information does not indicate that the CAFC provides:

• Online report forms or a specific reporting workflow
• Financial compensation or loss recovery
• Personalized case investigation or legal advice

If your goal is to recover money or get a case resolved, this site is not positioned as that kind of service. If your goal is to understand and recognize fraud and identity theft affecting Canadians, it is directly relevant.

How to use it

1. Open the site and choose your language (English or French).
2. Review the terms and conditions of use for that language version.
3. Use the site's fraud and identity theft information to compare against a suspicious contact you received.
4. Treat the descriptions as awareness material — they help you identify patterns, not resolve individual disputes.

Key takeaway

The CAFC is worth checking when you want authoritative Canadian information on current and past scams and on identity theft. It is a collection-and-information resource, so use it to recognize and understand fraud, not as a channel for recovering losses.