Top 4 Identity Theft Scams to Watch Out For Now

As technology continues to evolve, so do identity theft scams. Scammers are using advanced techniques to convince you to give them your personal details, or to gather it themselves through online snooping and trickery. 

According to a 2026 report from Angus Reid, nearly one-third of Canadians lost money or personal details in 2025. One wrong click, or trusting the wrong person, can lead to your identity being stolen and thousands of dollars being charged in your name, potentially ruining your credit. That can make it hard for you to get a new credit card, a loan, rent a home, or pass a background check for a new job.

What are the top online scams and how can you help protect yourself? 

1. Deepfake Recruitment Scams

With the rise of artificial intelligence, job recruitment scams have become more sophisticated. Scammers use AI deepfake video and audio to pose as recruiters from reputable organizations and conduct “interviews” over video or phone. Once you’re “hired”, but before you start working, they send onboarding documents that request your personal details such as your Social Insurance Number, date of birth, and direct deposit information.

How Can I Help Protect Myself?

Verify the legitimacy of the job and the recruiter by visiting the company’s official website — type the URL yourself, don’t click a link from the recruiter. Check the company’s official Careers page or call their main office to make sure the job and the recruiter are legitimate. Wait to share any personal details until after you’ve confirmed the job is real and you have received an official hire letter.

2. Free-Loot Phishing Scams

This phishing scam lures video gamers with promises of free in-game currency or exclusive gaming features. The scammers link to fake login pages designed to steal your account credentials, including your saved credit card details. These scams frequently target children, who may be more vulnerable to free offers. 

How Can I Help Protect Myself (And My Family)?

These scams prey on the desire to get something for nothing, but they are too good to be true. Most importantly, don’t click on links from outside sites or apps promising free currency and teach your family the importance of spotting these fake offers so they don’t click them either.

Device protection, like what’s included with Equifax Complete^TM Protection and Equifax Complete^TM Protection for Family, blocks known fraudulent domains and the included parental controls allow you to block certain websites to keep your children off potentially harmful sites.

3. SIM Swapping

Criminals use the information they’ve gathered from the dark web, social media or even from mail in your trash to contact your mobile provider claiming to be you. They say they’ve lost their phone and need a new SIM card. Once they have the card they can control your number and intercept your phone calls, texts, and SMS verification codes to reset your passwords, effectively taking over your digital life.

How Can I Help Protect Myself?

Call your mobile provider to request port protection and a PIN so that if you ever need to get a new SIM card, you’ll need to provide the PIN to prove your identity. Where possible, switch your banking and credit security from SMS text verification to an authenticator app. 

4. Keylogger Attacks

A keylogger is a type of spyware that records every keystroke you make on your keyboard. It can capture your usernames, passwords, Social Insurance Number, and more. Identity thieves can then use that information to steal your identity to open bank accounts and access credit in your name.

How Can I Help Protect Myself? 

Anti-malware, like what’s included with the device protection as part of Equifax Complete^TM Protection and Equifax Complete^TM Protection for Family, can detect and isolate keylogger software before your private data is sent back to the hacker.

What Do I Do If I’m a Victim of Identity Theft?

If you have an Equifax Complete^TM product, call us at 1-800-871-3250, (Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET), to help begin the restoration process. 

Whether you’re working with one of our restoration specialists or on your own, here are some steps you should follow:

• Report the identity theft or fraud to local police and get a police file number.

• Contact both nationwide credit reporting agencies and inform them about the fraud. You can easily submit a dispute — for free — to Equifax to begin an investigation.

• Place a fraud alert on both your credit reports. 

• Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501).

• Advise your bank and credit card companies. Request new bank or credit cards.

• Monitor your credit reports for any suspicious activity, like new inquiries or accounts opened in your name. An Equifax Complete product will alert you of key changes, helping you to spot fraud before it escalates.