Fact or fiction? RBC Poll shows Canadians struggle with more frequent and harder-to-spot scams

• 81% feel like there is a new scam to watch out for almost every week
• 83% feel it is safest to assume any unexpected text, email or call is a scam
• RBC shares tips to help Canadians spot and avoid falling victim to scams

TORONTO, March 2, 2026 /CNW/ - Not all scams look suspicious and that is what worries Canadians. Canadians feel increasingly vulnerable as they navigate a growing wave of scams designed to appear legitimate by exploiting familiarity, authority and trust. According to RBC's annual Fraud Prevention Month Poll, 81% of Canadians now feel there is a new scam to watch out for every single week, leading a majority (83%) to assume every unexpected text, email or call is a potential threat.

The RBC poll also found that:

• 87% of Canadians say it is getting harder to know whether an ad is real or a scam
• 75% feel it is getting tougher to tell if a business' website is legitimate when shopping online
• 39% do not feel confident they can spot artificial intelligence (AI)-powered scams today
• 68% say AI will eventually make scams impossible to detect
• 41% have opened an email/attachment or clicked on a link and 40% have spoken with someone on the phone before realizing it was a scam

"Canadians are staying alert, questioning unexpected messages and doing what they can to reduce their risk, but scams are evolving faster than ever," said Amit Sadhu, Senior Vice President, Credit and Fraud Management at RBC. "As scams become more frequent and harder to detect, people are left second guessing every message, call or click. We encourage Canadians to stay vigilant, pause before acting, verify requests, enable alerts and multi-factor authentication, and safeguard their personal and financial information."

Canadians are feeling frustrated

• 83% are angry that scams have become a part of everyday life
• 81% feel like there is a new scam to watch out for almost every week
• 78% are fed up with having to look out for scams
• 56% report feeling bombarded by scams

Canadians are vigilant, but remain vulnerable

• While 76% of Canadians are doing more now to protect themselves against fraud and scams than in previous years, 54% admit they do not always know what steps to take to protect themselves
• 76% are more concerned about fraud than ever before with 54% feeling more vulnerable to scams today than they did a year ago
• 45% believe they could be fooled by an impersonation scam and 40% believe it would be easy for scammers to impersonate them to family or friends, but only 27% have a family code word to protect against impersonation scams
• While 67% do not think they could be fooled by an investment or cryptocurrency scam, it remains one of the top scams according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

How can Canadians help protect themselves from scammers?

• Pause when emotions are triggered. Scammers often create a sense of urgency, fear or excitement to cause quick action. They may also impersonate family, friends, people of authority such as police or known brands like your bank to gain trust, all with the goal of stealing money or personal information. Stopping to check the sender or caller can help mitigate the risk of falling victim to a scam. If you are still unsure, talk about the request with someone you trust
• Use trusted channels to verify requests. Unexpected requests for money, access or personal information should always be confirmed using known contact information, not details provided in the message or by the messenger. Never click links or open attachments from unsolicited texts or emails
• Watch out for personalized scams. Scammers will often tailor messages, using details that make them seem familiar. Unexpected communications that reference personal details or seem unusually specific should be treated with caution. Review privacy settings, limit what you share publicly, and close unused accounts to limit the information fraudsters can exploit. They often piece together information across email, social media, online shopping and other digital touchpoints to make fraudulent messages appear more legitimate
• Be proactive. Protecting yourself from fraud and scams is not just about reacting in the moment, it is also about acting preventatively. Use strong, unique passwords, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), and set up alerts for your banking and credit card transactions. Report suspicious activity immediately.
• Where can Canadians learn more about scams and fraud prevention tips?
• Explore RBC's My Money Matters to learn how to identify scams and protect yourself against evolving threats
• Check RBC Scam Alerts regularly for updates on the latest scams, from impersonation and travel scams to deepfake investment and cryptocurrency scams
• Visit StandAgainstScams.ca by the Canadian Anti-Scam Coalition (CASC) to learn the stop, check and talk approach to help protect yourself and others

Fast Facts: 2026 RBC Fraud Prevention Month Poll
Selected Findings – National & Regional

"AGREE" RESPONSES	CAN	BC	AB	SK / MB	ON	QC	AC
It is safest to assume any text, email or call is a scam until proven legitimate	83 %	81 %	85 %	81 %	87 %	76 %	87 %
It feels like there is a new scam to look out for almost every week	81 %	79 %	78 %	80 %	85 %	76 %	84 %
It is getting harder to know if an ad is real or a scam	87 %	84 %	87 %	81 %	89 %	84 %	91 %
It is getting hard to know if a business' website is legitimate when shopping online	75 %	74 %	76 %	74 %	76 %	73 %	73 %
Artificial intelligence will eventually make scams impossible to detect	68 %	64 %	78 %	65 %	70 %	64 %	63 %
I have clicked on a link or opened an email or attachment only to later realize it was from a scammer	41 %	51 %	44 %	44 %	42 %	31 %	41 %
I spoke to someone on the phone, realizing during the call that it was a fraudster	40 %	48 %	45 %	50 %	37 %	33 %	48 %
I feel angry that scams have become such a constant part of everyday life	83 %	80 %	86 %	77 %	87 %	78 %	87 %
I am fed-up with always having to look out for scams	78 %	76 %	76 %	81 %	83 %	67 %	86 %
I feel bombarded by scams	56 %	56 %	58 %	48 %	62 %	46 %	56 %
I never share my passwords, PINs, or login details with anyone	93 %	94 %	92 %	91 %	94 %	94 %	93 %
I take extra steps to verify all my financial transactions and check my statements	85 %	86 %	91 %	85 %	86 %	78 %	89 %
I always use more than one way to authenticate myself (multi-factor authentication) when possible	88 %	87 %	89 %	89 %	89 %	87 %	89 %
I have set up transaction alerts for my bank accounts and credit cards to help me spot any unusual activity	76 %	82 %	83 %	75 %	76 %	69 %	80 %
I am doing more now to protect myself against fraud and scams than in previous years	76 %	69 %	76 %	74 %	79 %	75 %	80 %
I do not always know what I should be doing to protect myself against fraud and scams	54 %	55 %	54 %	61 %	58 %	44 %	57 %
I am more concerned about fraud than ever	76 %	79 %	74 %	68 %	83 %	64 %	81 %
I feel more vulnerable to scams today than I did a year ago	54 %	55 %	49 %	48 %	62 %	45 %	53 %
I believe it would be easy for scammers to impersonate me to my family or friends	40 %	45 %	47 %	39 %	42 %	34 %	35 %
I have a code word among family members to protect ourselves from impersonation scams	27 %	24 %	34 %	23 %	24 %	35 %	16 %
I could never be fooled by an investment or cryptocurrency scam	67 %	66 %	63 %	62 %	64 %	78 %	61 %
"DISAGREE" RESPONSES	CAN	BC	AB	SK / MB	ON	QC	AC
I could never be fooled by an impersonation scam	45 %	58 %	44 %	38 %	51 %	28 %	51 %
I feel confident that I can recognize a scam that uses artificial intelligence	39 %	45 %	37 %	29 %	37 %	43 %	38 %

About the RBC 2026 Fraud Prevention Month Poll
These findings are from a survey conducted by RBC from January 5 to 9, 2026, among a representative sample of n=1540 online adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. An additional boost of n=303 Canadians aged 60 and older were included to ensure a minimum read of n=100 was achieved regionally. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±2.50 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 101,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.‎

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.

For more information, please contact:
Michaela DiMarcantonio, RBC Corporate Communications, 416-704-6431

SOURCE RBC Royal Bank