The "investigator" who sends someone to your door

What the scam looks like

The caller has authority in their voice and a ready-made reason to be worried on your behalf. They say they are a police officer working a fraud file, or an investigator at your bank, or someone from a credit bureau - and your accounts have been compromised. They may already know your name and where you live, which makes the rest easier to believe.

Police do investigate fraud, and your bank really might phone you about a card. But no police force, no bank and no credit bureau will ever ask you to hand a card, a PIN or cash to someone who comes to your home. There is no investigation that requires it. If that request is made, the call is the fraud.

And that is the request that comes: to put your debit and credit cards in an envelope, with the PINs, and leave it for the person who will come by to collect it. Sometimes it is framed as evidence for the investigation, sometimes as taking the cards out of circulation before more damage is done. Either way someone arrives at your door and leaves with everything they need.

Red flags

• A call you did not ask for, and someone on the line saying they are police, your bank, or a credit bureau.
• A request for your PIN, by anyone and in any form - in an envelope, over the phone, or otherwise.
• Someone coming to your home to pick up cards, cash or a package.
• Being told to keep it to yourself, or that the investigation is confidential.

What to do

• Hang up. Then call the organisation back on a number you looked up yourself - on your card, on your statement, or the police non-emergency line.
• No legitimate organisation will mind that you hung up to check. Being pressed not to is the alarm bell itself.
• Already handed something over? Call your bank right away to freeze the cards, then report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501).
• Not sure what to do next? See our "I've been scammed" guide for the steps, in order.