Practical Ideas for Fraud Prevention Month 2026
(Submitted by Laureen Guldbrandsen, CLN)
March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada. Many scams look convincing because they use official logos and urgent language. Anyone can be targeted since scams are meant to be persuasive.
You do not need a new unit or extra programming to teach fraud awareness. It fits naturally into the work that you already do, such as building reading skills, digital confidence, and critical thinking. Even one focused activity this month can help learners slow down, ask questions, and make informed decisions.
If you are looking for additional support, the Teaching Digital Skills resource includes a full section on Settings, Safety, and Security that has videos and additional resources that you can use.
The practical activities below can be used in lessons or one-on-one support this March. You can pick one or two that fit well with your current lessons.
Build a Scam Checklist
Build a checklist of scam warning signs with your learners. This helps learners identify and remember red flags in real-life situations. Invite learners to brainstorm what makes a message suspicious. Ask:
- Does it create urgency?
- Does it threaten consequences?
- Is it asking for personal information?
- Is it requesting unusual payment methods?
- Is the greeting generic?
Develop a short checklist together. Common red flags include:
- Pressure to act immediately
- Threats of arrest, fines, or account closure
- Requests for SIN, banking details, passwords, or verification codes
- Requests for payment by gift cards or cryptocurrency
- Messages about unexpected prizes or refunds
How do you know if you're being scammed? Here's a short video where Audrey Gardner explains what a scam might look, sound and feel like:
Watch here
Analyze a Real Scam Message
Talk with learners about how to spot scam messages and the ways real messages try to trick people. If you have examples of scam messages from your own experience, you can go over them with the group. You can also ask learners to bring in emails, texts, or mail they are unsure about so you can look at them together.
If you and your learners don't have a real scam message to look at together, you can visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, where it describes current scam types and how they work: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/scams-fraudes/index-eng.htm. Use those descriptions to draft a short sample of a scam based on reports and label it clearly.
When analyzing a message, ask:
- What is this asking you to do?
- What information is being requested?
- Is there urgency or pressure?
- How could this be verified safely?
Remove or disable live links before showing anything with learners. Focus on patterns like urgency, threats, and requests for personal information.
Pause and Verify
Scammers often try to make people feel rushed. The best thing to do is to stop and check before acting. If a message feels urgent, offers money or a prize, or is threatening, take a moment to think it over. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Role-play scenarios such as:
- A refund you were not expecting
- A message saying you are suddenly locked out of an account
- An unexpected prize that you didn't enter to win
Practice responses like:
- “I will contact the official number directly.”
- “I do not share personal information by phone or text.”
- “I will verify this on the official website.”
Practice builds confidence and reinforces the habit of checking before responding.
Practice Verifying Websites
Scam websites are one way fraudsters get personal and financial information. People can end up on these sites through links in scam messages, social media, or even search results. Learning to spot warning signs and taking a moment to check a site before entering information can help people stay safe.
Open a legitimate, secure site and review:
- The full web address (URL)
- The spelling in the address
- The lock icon in the browser
Let learners know that the lock symbol means the connection is secure. When shopping or entering personal information, check for this symbol first.
Remind learners that clicking links in emails or texts can be risky. Instead, try these safer options:
- Type the website address directly into the browser
- Search for the organization and select the official result
Some scam sites look almost exactly like real ones. This activity helps learners develop the habit of carefully reading website addresses to avoid fake sites.
Show How to Report Fraud
Learning to spot fraud is the first step to stopping it. It’s just as important to know how and why to report it. When learners understand how reporting works, they can better protect themselves and others.
Reporting fraud might not always get your money back, but it can help stop it from happening to someone else.
You can show learners how to report fraud online or by telephone: https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca.
Review:
- Where to submit a report
- What information may be needed
- When to contact a bank, credit card company, or service provider
If someone has clicked a suspicious link or shared personal information, you can talk about the things they can do immediately:
- Change passwords
- Update PINs
- Enable multi-factor authentication
- Contact a bank or credit card company to monitor or freeze accounts
Remind learners that reporting scams protects others, and it’s always okay to ask for help.
Fraud Prevention Month can be a great chance to add real-world learning to your lessons. One focused activity in March can help learners pause, verify, and move online confidently.
I would love to hear how you are building fraud awareness with your learners this March. Please share your ideas in the comments below.