Cases of fraud are increasing, Quebec police say

Fraud is up in Quebec.

The Association of Quebec Police Chiefs (ADPQ) said Wednesday that nearly 37,000 Quebecers reported falling for a fraudulent scheme in 2023, an increase of 15 per cent since 2021.

"We wanted to make this data public to underline the importance of transparency and awareness in the face of this growing problem," Didier Deramond, the director-general of the ADPQ, said at a morning press conference.

The most common frauds that ensnare Quebecers involve credit cards, computers and identity theft, these include "grandparent" scams and romance scams.

The Mauricie region saw the steepest increase in fraud cases, 64 per cent over two years, the ADPQ said, while Montreal continued to see the largest total number of frauds.

But police said they lack a full picture of the problem because many victims don't report fraud.

"We are convinced that our police who investigate fraud with professionalism can make a difference, that's why today we're encouraging all Quebecers to report all instances of fraud," said Patrick Blanger, the Longueuil police chief.

Police urged victims to report fraud and to be on guard against common fraud activity. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre publishes reports on recent scam and fraud behaviour.