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How to Avoid Online Scams in Canada: A Complete Guide for Newcomers
The internet will help you with many aspects of your settlement journey, such as finding a house, a job, or services. But you must be careful because it will also expose you to online scams and criminals.
We partnered with Toronto Metropolitan University's (TMU) Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, the national centre for cybersecurity training and innovation, in consultation with the settlement sector, to create the Staying Safe Online in Canada: A Newcomer’s Guide. The guide was designed to help you recognize and verify online scams and provide tips to avoid the risks.
As a newcomer, it may be difficult to know what is fake and what is a standard part of Canadian daily life. The differences aren't always so obvious. The guides were created in different languages to help you determine whether what you are experiencing is normal or an online trap.
The Staying Safe Online in Canada: A Newcomer’s Guide covers:
- some of the online risks to be aware of and what you can trust online.
- ways to verify information to stay safe.
- what to do if you are a victim of fraud and how to report it.
- common words and phrases used in cybersecurity.
Download the printable PDF guide in your language and keep it with you at all times for easy reference.
Download in Different Languages
These files are in Adobe Acrobat format. You need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.
If you would like to see more tips and watch videos on what families and students can do to stay safe online, visit the TMU Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst page for more English guides:
Presented in Partnership with: Toronto Metropolitan University's Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst
For More Information
- Cybersafe.ca Find more warnings and tips to stay safe online. From the Government of Canada.
Last updated:
May 15, 2026
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