Thunder Bay residents are being warned about scam phone calls from fraudsters posing as their personal bank to steal account information. The Thunder Bay Police Service issued the alert on Friday, September 11, 2026, after receiving a report on August 26 from a resident targeted by the scheme.
According to police, a caller claimed to be from the victim’s bank and asked for additional account details. Anyone who receives a similar call should hang up immediately and contact their bank using the number on the back of their card. “If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the bank you use, hang up immediately and contact your bank directly using the contact number on the back of the card,” police said.
Victims who have lost money or shared financial information should report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca. The centre has seen an increase in reports of fraudsters impersonating banks and even the anti-fraud centre itself.
This local warning comes as Canadians reported more than $351 million in fraud losses in the first six months of 2026, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The actual figure could be 10 times higher because many victims do not report the crime.
Thunder Bay police are reminding residents that banks never ask for sensitive information over the phone. If in doubt, contact your bank directly through official channels, not through numbers provided by an unsolicited caller.
