After a Scam or Near Miss: Practical Next Steps for Families
When a parent says something has gone wrong, it helps to separate three questions: what happened, which organization needs to respond, and what support your parent wants from you.
This guide is a starting point for that conversation. Specific action depends on the information, account, payment or device involved. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Start with a calm first question
You may feel worried, frustrated or frightened yourself. Take a breath before asking for details. You don’t need to hide your concern, but try to leave blame out of the conversation.
“Tell me what you remember. We can start there.”
You can be calm and still act promptly.
Describe the action before deciding what it means
Try to establish whether money was sent, financial information was shared, a password was entered, an attachment was opened, or someone was given remote access to a device.
Ask one question at a time. “What did they ask you to do?” is more useful here than asking your parent to defend why they believed the request.
Write down what is known and mark what is uncertain. The purpose is to help the appropriate organization understand the situation, not to produce a perfect family investigation.
If money or financial information was involved
Contact the financial institution promptly. For a suspicious bank-related interaction, use the number on the bank card or independently verified official contact details, rather than details supplied by the caller.
Explain what happened and ask about the next steps for the affected account or payment. Record any case reference and follow-up instructions. Do not promise your parent that a transfer can be reversed or funds recovered.
If your parent is a victim of identity fraud, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recommends placing flags on accounts, changing passwords and reporting the fraud to both credit bureaus: Equifax and TransUnion. Shared information alone does not confirm identity fraud; explain what was disclosed and ask the appropriate organization what protective steps apply.
If a password or digital account was involved
The Government of Canada’s Get Cyber Safe guidance recommends changing affected passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication after phishing. It also recommends checking a device for malware when a suspicious link or attachment was involved.
Use the account provider’s official help route or a reputable technical service for guidance you cannot confidently carry out. If financial information was shared, contact the financial institution too.
If someone was given remote access to a device
Tell the technical service that remote access was allowed, including what your parent remembers installing or approving.
If you suspect someone has unauthorized control of the device, disconnect it from the internet promptly. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recommends a full system scan and appropriate follow-up, with help from a trusted person with technical expertise if needed.
Disconnecting is an immediate step, not confirmation that the device or accounts are secure. Get trusted technical guidance about checking the device and addressing any affected accounts. If financial information may have been exposed, contact the financial institution as well.
If your parent stopped before acting
Describe exactly where the interaction stopped. Avoid assuming that “no money sent” answers every question: the relevant detail may be what information was entered or shared.
If nothing was sent or shared, acknowledge that stopping was useful. If you are unsure what happened, help your parent explain it to the relevant account or service provider through its official route. Avoid reopening a suspicious link to demonstrate the problem.
Keep a short incident record
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recommends gathering relevant documents, receipts, emails and text messages. It also recommends reporting fraud to local police and keeping the police file number.
A family note can hold the practical details:
Date and approximate time.
What was sent, shared or agreed to.
Whether remote access was allowed or software was installed.
Records already available.
Organization contacted and case reference.
Next instruction and who is helping with it.
Keep this note private. Do not put passwords, verification codes or complete financial credentials in it. Avoid copying sensitive information into a broad family chat or a care-inquiry form.
Use the appropriate reporting route
In Canada, a victim or witness can report fraud or cybercrime through the official Report Cybercrime and Fraud service. Reports can also be made by phone at 1-888-495-8501. Report the incident to local police as well.
An account provider, police report and fraud report serve different purposes. Ask each organization what it needs and what follow-up it recommends. Do not treat one report as confirmation that every account or device issue has been addressed.
Official Canadian fraud-response guidance and reporting routes
Be cautious about offers to recover lost money
Someone may contact your parent afterward claiming that money can be recovered for an upfront fee. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warns that previous victims can be targeted this way. Do not pay an advance fee to obtain a refund or give an unknown person remote access to a device.
Bring an unexpected recovery offer to the financial institution or appropriate authority through independently verified contact details. A convincing letter or familiar logo does not replace that check.
Agree on the help your parent wants
Once the immediate response is underway, ask about the next practical task. Would your parent like company during a call, help finding paperwork, or someone to review the instructions with them?
Choose a manageable task together. You might say, “I can stay while you make the call. Would that help?” Avoid making your offer conditional on handing over every account or decision.
When things settle, revisit your family’s verification plan together: how to check an unexpected request, who your parent wants to involve, and what to do if that person is unavailable.
If the event has brought wider needs into view, talk about those specifically. Does your parent want more company? Is there a routine at home that has become hard to manage? What support would they welcome?
An incident does not settle those questions for them. It can be a reason to have the conversation and listen to the answer.
If your family needs help thinking through care or support at home, speak with a Garrison Care Care Advisor.Share the care questions you want to discuss; sensitive financial documents or login details are not needed for that inquiry.
Sources
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: What to do if you’re a victim of fraud
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: Bank-investigator and impersonation fraud guidance
Get Cyber Safe: What to do if you are a victim of a phishing scam
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: Remote access and protecting your personal information
