March is Fraud Prevention Month, and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are advising the public that cryptocurrency-related fraud continues to impact individuals and communities across eastern Ontario.
Fraudsters commonly exploit fear, urgency and secrecy to pressure victims into sending cryptocurrency, often through cryptocurrency ATMs, as these transfers can be fast, difficult to reverse and can be routed to criminals and criminal networks anywhere in the world, the provincial police force said in a media release on Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2026.
“Eastern Ontario now has over 300 crypto ATMs (40 within OPP jurisdiction), allowing the scammers to quickly direct victims to a nearby kiosk,” the OPP stated.
In a video released by the OPP East Region, Provincial Constable Joey Mason, Media Relations Officer with the Leeds County Detachment, notes that Canada is ranks second for the most number of crypto ATMs in the world.
According to the release, the OPP has seen numerous fraud themes, including:
- Investment frauds
- Job/employment scams
- Relationship and romance scams
- Extortion scams
- Recovery scams (promises to recover lost crypto for a fee)
- Bank investigator scams
- Service scams (fake services, invoices, tech help, etc.)
“During Fraud Prevention Month in March, Community Engagement Officers at OPP detachments will work with local businesses, where crypto ATMs are located, to deliver fraud prevention materials and messaging,” the OPP stated.
“OPP Auxiliary members will also support community-based fraud-prevention education.”
In the release, police shared these common red flags to watch for:
- An urgent issue (account compromised, warrant, overdue bill, hacked device)
- Pressured to act immediately or threatened with arrest, fines, or embarrassment
- You are instructed to withdraw cash and deposit it into a crypto ATM
- You are told to keep it secret, not speak to family, bank staff or police
A video has been posted on OPP East Region social media platforms:
“If you used a crypto ATM and believe you have been the victim of a fraud, keep the receipt and record the kiosk location and any support number listed on the machine,” the OPP said.
“Take screenshots and capture crypto wallet addresses, transaction IDs, receipts, text messages, emails and phone numbers.”
Anyone affected is asked to contact their local OPP detachment at 1-888-310-1122 and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or call 1-888-495-8501. More information on current and emerging scams is available on the Anti-Fraud Centre website.
