Safety and security
Consumer Protection Ontario
Consumer Protection Ontario helps you make smart choices in the marketplace, spend wisely, and protect your hard-earned money.
From door-to-door sales to home renovations, scams and frauds to identity theft, it’s important to ask the right questions and understand the dos and don’ts to avoid being taken advantage of or ripped off.
Consumer Protection Ontario can help you:
- check if a business has had serious complaints or charges filed against them
- teach you how to protect yourself against scams, phishing and identity theft
- learn what to do if you’re a victim
- help you to understand your rights under the Consumer Protection Act.
Visit ontario.ca/consumerprotection to learn the right questions to ask and for more detailed information about how to protect yourself and your money. Below you’ll find just a few examples of topics that may interest you.
Door-to-door salespeople
Certain products and services can no longer be offered or sold at your home unless you initiate the transaction (for example, by calling or emailing a business and asking them to come to your home for the purpose of entering into a contract.) These restricted products and services include hot water heaters, air conditioners, furnaces, air purifiers, vacuums, and water filtration systems.
Businesses will be able to enter into a contract at your home if you contacted them ahead of time and invited them to your home for the purpose of buying or leasing one of the restricted products and services. Learn more about new rules for products and services sold door-to-door.
Home renovations, condos or moving
Before you hire a contractor to make home improvements, ask for three references and be sure to check them. If you are thinking of downsizing to a condo, make sure you understand the by-laws, rules and restrictions specific to the condo before signing on the dotted line. In planning your move, ask the right questions of a potential moving company.
Ask:
- Can you provide references and a written estimate before I sign a contract?
- Who is responsible for loss or damage?
- Are you covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in case of injury?
Scams and frauds
Don’t get “Phished” in by an email
Sending an email to someone falsely claiming to be a legitimate company or organization in an attempt to scam that person is known as “phishing”. It is an attempt to persuade consumers to disclose personal information, like usernames, passwords or credit card details.
“Phishers” often send messages with exciting or upsetting news and tell you to act immediately.
These scammer emails often direct people to fraudulent websites that appear to represent trusted organizations, such as banks. The websites ask visitors to provide personal information, such as credit card or social insurance numbers, bank account information or passwords. Criminals then use this information to commit fraud.
Protect yourself:
- Never give out banking information, passwords or other personal information in response to this type of email.
- When in doubt, don’t click on any links in the email — instead directly contact the company or organization with whom you do business to ask if they sent you the email.
Find more information and learn how to protect yourself from common scams, fraud and active government-related scams.
Telemarketing
Phony telemarketers have many different scams. One of the most common is the bogus vacation offer.
Someone calls and says you have won a vacation. However, to claim your prize, you are told you have to pay a processing fee. Or you may be told you have to enter into a timeshare agreement.
If you have not requested information or entered a contest, be very careful. The caller may be asking for a processing fee in order to get your personal banking information or may simply want the processing fee and have no intention of providing you with the vacation.
If you complete a transaction over the phone worth more than $50, you are covered by the Consumer Protection Act. Learn your consumer rights.
Grandparent or emergency scams
In this scam, a con-artist phones a person claiming to be his or her grandchild, old neighbour or friend. The caller claims to be in some kind of trouble and needs money to be wired to them right away. The scammers may say they are in hospital, stuck in a foreign airport or have somehow landed in jail.
The caller often asks victims to not tell anyone in the family about the call. They may claim that other family members will blame or punish them for the accident or emergency.
Protect yourself:
- Don’t ever wire money without verifying there is an emergency and the whereabouts of a grandchild.
- Be aware that scammers may try to disguise their voices by faking a bad phone connection.
- Be cautious; ask callers about personal details your grandchild would know – like his or her middle name.
- Do not disclose any personal information before you verify that you are indeed speaking with your grandchild.
- When in doubt, contact your local police department or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre before sending any money.
Identity theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge or consent to commit a crime, such as fraud or theft.
Identity thieves steal key pieces of personal information — either physically or in other ways, without your knowledge — and use it to impersonate you and commit crimes in your name. In addition to names, addresses and phone numbers, thieves look for:
- social insurance numbers
- driver’s licence numbers
- credit card and banking information
- bank cards
- calling cards
- birth certificates
- passports
Identity thieves can manipulate your information and invade your personal and financial life. They can use stolen identities to conduct spending sprees, open new bank accounts, divert mail, apply for loans, credit cards and social benefits, rent apartments and even commit more serious crimes.
Protect yourself:
Never give personal information like your credit card or social insurance number to anyone who contacts you by phone. When making financial transactions online, look for two things on the payment page of the website:
- The “s” – secure web addresses start with “https://” not “http://”
- The lock icon – secure websites show a closed lock.
Investment fraud
Fraud comes in many forms, including Investment Fraud. Always take steps to better protect yourself by checking the registration of any person or business trying to sell you an investment or give you investment advice before you invest. You should also know the common warning signs of investment fraud.
Four signs of investment fraud to look for are:
- You can make a lot of money with little or no risk
In general, higher-risk investments offer higher potential returns, and lower-risk investments offer lower returns. This is known as the risk- return relationship. When you buy investments like stocks, there’s no guarantee you’ll make money. And the risk of losing money increases with the potential return. Investments that are considered low risk typically have returns similar to GIC rates. If your expected return is higher than this, you’re taking more risk with your money. Learn more about the risks of investing. - You get a hot tip or insider information
The sources of “hot tips” or “insider information” don’t have your best interests in mind. Think about why they’re offering you tips, and how they benefit by telling you about them. If the hot tip is false, you will lose your money if you act on it. If it is really inside information about a public company, it would be illegal to act on it under insider trading laws. - You feel pressured to buy
Scammers frequently use high-pressure sales tactics – because they want to get your money and then move on to other victims. If you’re asked to make a decision right away, or are presented with a limited time offer, it’s likely not in your best interests. Scammers know that if you have time to check things out, you may not fall for their scam. - They’re not registered to sell investments
Before you invest, check the registration and background of the person offering you the investment. In general, anyone selling securities or offering investment advice must be registered with their provincial securities regulator. Always check the registration of any person or business trying to sell you an investment.
Read additional investment fraud information.
Ontario Securities Commission
Visit the Ontario Securities Commission website to find information about investor protection and resources, as well information about market regulation and compliance.
Canadian Anti-Fraud centre
This centre collects information from consumers about various types of fraud and plays a crucial role in educating the public about specific mass marketing fraud pitches.
Emergency services and public safety
9-1-1
In any emergency situation whenever police, fire or ambulance assistance is required immediately, call 9-1-1 where available.
Emergency preparedness
Emergency Management Ontario offers information in the form of online emergency preparedness videos, resource links, fact sheets and a downloadable guide for people with disabilities or special needs. Learn how to build an Emergency Survival Kit, create a family emergency plan and stay safe in an emergency.
Public Safety Canada also offers a wide variety of print and online safety tips and information, including publications such as Your Emergency Preparedness Guide to help you and your family prepare for an emergency. You can also learn about Alert Ready, a national service to deliver critical and potentially life-saving emergency alert messages to Canadians and sign up for emergency alerts.
Elder abuse
Elder abuse can take many forms, including financial, emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect. It is never acceptable. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or if help is needed in an emergency, call 9-1-1.
If you or a senior you know has been a victim of a theft, fraud or physical assault, contact your local police department. For information and referral to community supports that may be of assistance, call 2-1-1 or visit the 211 website.
Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario (EAPO)
EAPO’s Regional Elder Abuse Consultants work with community agencies and local elder abuse networks to:
- coordinate community resources to improve access to services by abused or at-risk seniors
- train front-line staff to identify and respond to elder abuse
- raise awareness of elder abuse and where to find help.
Consultants act as a key resource to justice and community service providers and local elder abuse networks.
Seniors Safety Line
Seniors Safety Line is a 24/7, confidential and free resource that provides information, referrals and support in over 250 languages for seniors in Ontario who are experiencing any type of abuse or neglect.
Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes (AOcVF)
The AOcVF is an Ontario-wide federation of Francophone feminist organizations working to prevent violence against women, provide ongoing training for workers, develop French-language services and produce education and awareness materials in French.
Bringing an Awareness of Senior Safety Issues to the Community (BASSIC)
Members of BASSIC work with its partners to offer free presentations on a range of safety issues targeted at older adults.
Download the BASSIC Safe Seniors Calendar that offers tips and suggestions to help seniors stay safe and active in their homes and communities.
Fire safety
When it comes to fire safety, seniors are particularly vulnerable. Decreasing mobility and cognitive challenges can make it harder to respond to a fire and reach safety. To stay safe, remember the following:
- Make sure you have working smoke alarms. By law, smoke alarms are required to be on every storey of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Test your smoke alarms monthly and change the battery once a year or when the low battery warning sounds. If you suffer hearing loss or sleep with the bedroom door closed, install a smoke alarm inside your bedroom or install a flashing or vibrating smoke alarm.
- Have at least two ways out of every room if possible. Develop a home fire escape plan that considers your mobility challenges. Practice your escape plan often. For seniors with memory concerns, record escape plans and place copies in an easily accessible location.
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Cooking fires are one of the leading causes of fire injuries among older adults. Turn off the stove/oven if you leave the room while cooking. Wear tight fitting or rolled up sleeves when cooking. Loose or dangling clothing can easily catch fire if it comes in contact with the burners or open flame.
- Encourage smokers to smoke outside or use large deep ashtrays that can’t be easily knocked over to collect ashes from cigarettes. Do not extinguish cigarettes in plant pots, which often contain peat moss, shredded wood and bark that can easily ignite.
- Empty ashtrays properly by dousing ashes with water, emptying them into a metal container and placing outside. Make sure they are completely out.Never empty ashtrays directly into the garbage.
- Never smoke in bed.
For more information on fire safety contact your local fire department or the Office of the Fire Marshal.