JULY BULLETIN: Fraudulent RCMP Commissioner and Law Enforcement Extortion Letters
2026-07-16
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is receiving reports of threatening emails and messages that appear to come from Canadian or international law enforcement agencies. In a recent variation, fraudsters are impersonating the RCMP Commissioner or other senior RCMP officials.
The messages may include official-looking logos, names, signatures, badges or documents. Fraudsters may claim that you are under investigation or accused of a serious crime. They may ask you to open an attachment, click a link or contact them using the information provided in the message. They may then demand money, personal information or banking details and threaten arrest, legal action or jail if you do not comply.
Warning signs
- You receive an unexpected message claiming to be from the RCMP or another law enforcement agency.
- The message accuses you of a crime and pressures you to respond immediately.
- You are threatened with arrest, jail or other legal action.
- You are asked to pay a fine or fee using cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers or another unusual payment method.
- The sender asks for personal, financial or banking information.
- The message includes an attachment or link that you were not expecting.
- The email address does not match the agency’s official website, even though the name and logo may look real.
How to protect yourself
- Do not click links or open attachments in unexpected messages.
- Do not send money or provide personal or financial information.
- Do not use the phone number, email address or website provided in the message.
- Contact the law enforcement agency directly using contact information from its official website.
- Remember that law enforcement will not demand an immediate payment to prevent your arrest.
- Talk to someone you trust before taking action. Fraudsters rely on fear and pressure to make people act quickly.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) – Reporting Fraud Incidents
Victims and witnesses of fraud should also report directly to the CAFC through:
- Reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca
- Toll free: 1-888-495-8501
Fraud is not a victimless crime. It funds organized criminal groups, targets vulnerable individuals,
damages businesses, and results in billions of dollars in losses each year. But fraud can be stopped when Canadians report suspicious activity, share information, and speak up.
