A caller says your Social Insurance Number has been suspended — verify your identity now
A caller (often a robocall) claims to be from Service Canada, RCMP, or the CRA saying your Social Insurance Number (SIN) has been "compromised" or "suspended" due to fraudulent use in Quebec, Alberta, or Ontario. They demand you verify your identity by sharing personal details, or transfer money to a "safe account" to protect it. Service Canada does not suspend SINs — SINs cannot be suspended.
Also known as: Service Canada SIN scam, fake SIN suspension call, RCMP SIN compromise scam, Social Insurance Number robocall scam
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Hang up. Service Canada, the RCMP, and the CRA will never call and threaten arrest over a SIN issue
- 2 If you're worried your SIN may be misused, call Service Canada directly at 1-800-206-7218 (dial yourself, don't call back the number that reached you)
- 3 Never provide your SIN, banking details, or personal information to any caller who contacted you first
- 4 If you already shared your SIN: contact each of the credit bureaus (Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada) and place a fraud alert — free and effective for 6+ years
- 5 If you already sent money: call your bank and CAFC immediately. Interac e-Transfers can occasionally be cancelled if unaccepted
- 6 Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.
Red flags
- ⚠ The caller claims your SIN has been suspended, blocked, or compromised due to criminal activity — Service Canada does not do this, and SINs cannot be suspended
- ⚠ You are asked to press 1 to speak with an officer — classic robocall setup that connects to a live scammer
- ⚠ You are asked to confirm your SIN, date of birth, mother's maiden name, or banking details 'to verify your identity'
- ⚠ You are told to withdraw cash and buy gift cards, Bitcoin, or send Interac e-Transfer to a 'secure government account' to protect your money
- ⚠ The caller threatens arrest, deportation, or asset seizure if you don't comply immediately
- ⚠ The caller ID may show 1-800-206-7218 (real Service Canada number) — spoofing that number is trivial
Known variants
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'Multiple bank accounts opened in your name' variant: caller claims fraudsters have opened accounts with your SIN in three provinces and Service Canada is investigating. To 'help the investigation', you must move all your real money to a 'safe hold account'. All money transferred is stolen.
Last seen: 6/15/2026