Important Security Information: Persons Impersonating RBC Employees with Fake Contact Details

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is alerting consumers to the rise in investment scams impersonating its companies and employees. Scammers often make contact through electronic means including WhatsApp, email and other social media platforms. In most cases, the contact details used by scammers do not accurately match the information published on RBC’s official website or used in genuine RBC communications.

Consumers should consider the following potential red flags if approached by someone purporting to represent RBC:

  • Contact details that do not match independent sources – scammers can produce very professional communications that appear to be from an official source. However, small differences can often be identified in contact or bank account details.  You should always independently verify contact or bank account details for yourself.
  • Unsolicited calls or invitations to join social media groups – an unsolicited call, email or invitation to join a WhatsApp or other social media group can be one of the first signs in identifying a scammer. Please note, RBC does not use WhatsApp when communicating with clients. 
  • Request for payment – scammers often make a request for funds and provide account details into which to deposit these funds. Such requests may appear to be legitimate.  Unless you are able to independently verify any such payment request with your known financial adviser or regular RBC contact, you should not make any payment.
  • Investments sound too good to be true – often scammers will provide details of unrealistic investment opportunities or returns and will go to great lengths to build relationships and gain trust. If an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For more information on investments scams, please visit the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions (ASIC) Investment Scams page or the Australia Competition and Consumer Commissions ScamWatch page.

If you think you have been a contacted by a scammer or are a victim of a scam involving someone purporting to represent RBC, you should:

  • not send any money;
  • contact RBC with the details of the purported approach and potential scam;
  • report the scam to your local Police; and
  • report the scam to ASIC.