Checking it Twice: Overconfidence in Spotting Scams May Cost Canadian Holiday Shoppers, RBC Poll
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
-- Majority of Canadians (86%) say they are confident in their ability to
spot a scam, yet 1 in 4 have already fallen victim to a scam in the
past.
-- 21% of Canadians are willing to take risks when shopping online to save
money.
-- RBC shares tips to shop online safely.
TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Eighty-six per cent of Canadians believe they can detect a scam, while 25% admit they've fallen victim to one according to a new RBC Fraud Awareness Poll. This overconfidence in scam spotting can leave shoppers vulnerable during the holiday shopping season.
While more than half of Canadians (59%) have taken steps to protect themselves against scams, 24% still say they take more risks than they should when shopping online. Twenty-one per cent (21%) even say they are willing to take risks when shopping online to save money. Another 18% of Canadians admit they have mistakenly visited a fake shopping website or dupe of a legitimate retailer in the past year.
"With increased online shopping around the holiday season, scammers take advantage of those searching for the best deals or rushing to check items off their holiday shopping lists," says Amit Sadhu, Senior Vice President, Credit and Fraud Management at RBC. "Canadians are encouraged to stay vigilant, take steps for added protection, avoid offers that seem too good to be true, and continue to educate themselves on scams."
Canadians anticipate more sophisticated scams this holiday season
-- 79% of Canadians think scams will be worse this year, and 76% believe
they will be harder to detect
-- 73% say falling for a scam would spoil their holiday season
-- 63% are specifically concerned about online shopping scams
-- 40% are worried about falling for scams
Artificial intelligence (AI) complicates the ability to spot a scam
-- The majority of Canadians (85%) are concerned about AI scams that look
legitimate
-- 61% are specifically worried about scams using deepfakes (synthetic
video or audio made with AI) or voice cloning (a voice copied to sound
like a real person) this holiday season
-- 29% have seen social media posts of a celebrity, influencer or public
figure promoting a product, retailer or contest that turned out to be a
deepfake
Canadians help others spot scams, but may stay silent about their scam experiences
-- 53% of Canadians say they have stopped friends or family from falling
victim to a scam
-- Nearly a third of Canadians (32%) say they would only report a scam if
they lost money
-- 10% admit to keeping a past scam experience secret from people in their
lives
The RBC Fraud Awareness Poll also indicated a quarter (26%) of Canadians do not know what to look out for to ensure they are shopping online safely and 51% admit to not wanting to think about scams during the holidays.
What are common scams consumers should look out for this holiday season?
-- Phishing emails and texts: Be wary of messages claiming to be from
trusted companies, saying your account is hacked, offering refunds, or
promising too good to be true offers. These scams aim to have you click
on a link or attachment that installs malware on your device or leads
you to a website designed to steal your login details or sensitive
information.
-- Missed delivery messages: Scammers pose as reputable delivery companies,
sending fake notifications via text or email about delayed packages.
They prompt you to enter your personal and credit card information to
cover fees to "release" and deliver your package.
-- Fake bank alerts: Scammers send a text claiming to be from your bank,
warning of suspicious activity. They create urgency, asking you to click
links to secure your account. These links lead to fake websites designed
to steal your bank login details.
Keep updated on other common scams through RBC Scam Alerts.
How can Canadians safeguard themselves against scammers?
RBC is sharing four tips to help avoid holiday scams:
1. Know who you're talking to: Scammers often impersonate family, friends, trusted brands, such as your bank (known as bank impersonation scams) to steal personal or financial information. To avoid bank impersonation scams, remember RBC will never ask clients to:
-- Initiate any type of transaction on RBC's behalf
-- Provide one-time codes sent through SMS, emails, or voicemail for
identification purposes over the phone or in-person
-- Download a remote access application
-- Disclose PINs
-- e-Transfer money
-- Perform any digital two-step authentication for outbound calls,
including One Time Passcode, ID verification or PIN verification
-- Create a new online banking password with an Advisor or ask to share
passwords
If a text, email or call seems unusual, pause and think about where it came from and what it is asking. Do not open, click links or provide payment information through unsolicited texts or emails. Always verify the sender before taking any action.
2. Stay vigilant when shopping online: Scammers can easily create fake websites that look real. A padlock icon or "https" alone does not guarantee legitimacy. Verify a business' physical address, contact information or search for the retailer's name plus "reviews" before you buy, especially if it is a retailer you have never shopped with before.
3. Take steps for added protection: Anytime of year, but especially during the busy holiday shopping season, regularly review your banking and credit card transactions and set up account alerts. Use strong, unique passwords and add multi-factor authentication (MFA) for extra security. Report suspicious activity immediately.
4. Participate in ongoing education: Learn more about RBC fraud prevention tips by visiting RBC's My Money Matters at rbc.com/mymoneymatters. Visit StandAgainstScams.ca for additional resources from the Canadian Anti-Scam Coalition (CASC), a collaboration between Canada's financial, telecommunications, and technology sectors, alongside government and law enforcement.
Fast Facts: 2025 RBC Fraud Awareness Poll
Selected Findings - National & Regional
"AGREE" RESPONSES CAN BC AB SK /MB ON QC AC
I am confident in my ability to spot scams 86 % 85 % 88 % 88 % 84 % 86 % 85 %
I'm willing to take risks when shopping online to get a good deal/save money 21 % 21 % 23 % 21 % 22 % 16 % 22 %
I've taken added steps this year/recently to help protect against scams 59 % 56 % 61 % 62 % 62 % 50 % 70 %
I feel I take more risks when shopping online than I should 24 % 27 % 18 % 17 % 22 % 28 % 27 %
I'm worried about AI (artificial intelligence) scams that look legitimate 85 % 83 % 86 % 87 % 87 % 82 % 84 %
I would only report a scam only if I lost money 32 % 34 % 31 % 36 % 34 % 24 % 37 %
I'm not sure what to look out for to shop online safely 26 % 23 % 26 % 28 % 25 % 30 % 30 %
"EVER" RESPONSES CAN BC AB SK /MB ON QC AC
I have fallen victim to a scam 25 % 22 % 26 % 34 % 26 % 23 % 27 %
I have stopped friends or family from falling victim to a scam 53 % 46 % 57 % 45 % 59 % 51 % 51 %
I have kept a scam experience (getting scammed or almost scammed) secret from people in my life (partner, family, friends) 10 % 10 % 9 % 10 % 9 % 9 % 11 %
"YES - IN THE PAST YEAR" RESPONSES CAN BC AB SK /MB ON QC AC
I have accidentally visited a fake retail/shopping website or one that was a dupe of a legitimate retailer 18 % 19 % 20 % 25 % 18 % 16 % 20 %
I have seen a social media post of a celebrity, influencer or public figure promoting a product, retailer or contest that turned out to be a deepfake 29 % 32 % 23 % 34 % 29 % 27 % 31 %
"AGREE" RESPONSES - "WHEN THINKING OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON" CAN BC AB SK /MB ON QC AC
I think this upcoming holiday season will be worse for scams than previous years 79 % 83 % 75 % 82 % 82 % 74 % 80 %
Compared to past years, I think scams will be more difficult to detect this holiday season 76 % 73 % 77 % 76 % 79 % 71 % 73 %
My holiday season would be ruined if I fell for a scam 73 % 72 % 73 % 76 % 71 % 77 % 71 %
I'm worried about falling victim to fraud/getting scammed over the holidays 40 % 43 % 43 % 45 % 43 % 30 % 42 %
I do not want to think about scams and fraud during the holiday season 51 % 49 % 52 % 49 % 55 % 43 % 62 %
I'm concerned about deepfakes and/or voice clones (fake videos or phone calls that mimic family members/friends, bosses/coworkers, or celebrities/influencers) 61 % 60 % 60 % 62 % 61 % 64 % 59 %
I'm concerned about online shopping scams (e.g. fake websites, fake ads for items that do not exist) 63 % 64 % 62 % 64 % 65 % 59 % 60 %
I'm concerned about phishing scams (email or text from a fraudster that looks to be from a legitimate source asking you to submit/confirm information or that has a malicious link) 66 % 68 % 67 % 67 % 69 % 63 % 61 %
I'm concerned about donation or charity scams (when scammers impersonate legitimate charities) 56 % 59 % 54 % 59 % 57 % 55 % 52 %
I'm concerned about gift card scams (buying a gift card that has been tampered with) 54 % 55 % 47 % 50 % 62 % 46 % 54 %
I'm concerned about shipping or order scams (receiving a text, email or call about a fake order or delivery) 52 % 54 % 46 % 43 % 53 % 54 % 54 %
About the RBC Fraud Awareness Poll
These findings are from a survey conducted by RBC from October 14th to October 16th, 2025, among a representative sample of 1511 online adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 101,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.
For more information, please contact:
Michaela DiMarcantonio, RBC Corporate Communications, 416-704-6431
SOURCE RBC Royal Bank
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