⚠️ If you already clicked a link and entered your banking details
Call your bank's fraud line right now before reading further. Every minute matters when banking credentials are exposed. The number is on the back of your bank card. Tell them: "I may have entered my credentials on a phishing site."
🔍How to Tell If an Interac Email Is Fake
Real Interac e-Transfer notifications come from notify@payments.interac.ca only. Any other domain is fake. Here's what else to look for:
- Email comes from a domain like interac-secure.com, notifications-interac.ca, or anything other than @payments.interac.ca
- The email asks you to "verify your account" or "confirm your banking details" to deposit money
- There's urgency — "your deposit expires in 24 hours" or "action required immediately"
- Clicking the link takes you to a page that looks like your bank but the URL is different
- You don't recognize the sender or weren't expecting a money transfer
- Real Interac emails show the sender's name and are sent from @payments.interac.ca
- Real deposits go directly to your account — no "verification" required
- You can always deposit by going directly to your bank's app or website — never through an email link
🚨What To Do Right Now — Step by Step
Follow these steps in order. The faster you act, the better your outcome.
-
1Do not click any links in the email. If you haven't clicked yet — don't. If you already did, go to step 3 immediately.
-
2Forward the suspicious email to phishing@interac.ca — Interac's official fraud reporting address. This helps protect other Canadians.
-
3If you clicked and entered banking details: Call your bank's fraud line immediately (number on back of your card). Say "I may have entered my credentials on a phishing site." They can freeze your account and begin a fraud claim.
-
4Change your online banking password from a device you know is clean (not the one you used to click the link). Use a password you've never used before.
-
5Enable two-factor authentication on your online banking if you haven't already. This stops attackers even if they have your password.
-
6Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre.ca or call 1-888-495-8501. This is free and helps authorities track scam campaigns.
-
7Monitor your accounts for the next 30 days for any unauthorized transactions. Set up transaction alerts in your banking app if available.
📋Where to Report an Interac Scam in Canada
Report to all of these — each one serves a different purpose and together they build the evidence trail needed to shut down the scammers.
🏦 Your Bank
First and most urgent. Call the fraud number on the back of your card immediately if you shared any details.
Find your bank's fraud line ↗
🇨🇦 Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Canada's official fraud reporting body. All reports are shared with law enforcement agencies.
antifraudcentre.ca ↗
📧 Interac Directly
Forward fake Interac emails to phishing@interac.ca. Interac uses these reports to block phishing domains.
phishing@interac.ca ↗
🚔 RCMP Cybercrime
For financial losses or repeated targeting. File a report with your local RCMP or police service.
rcmp-grc.gc.ca ↗
🏥Does This Affect Your Organization?
If you received this scam at a hospital, NGO, school, or nonprofit — or if multiple staff members received it — this may be a targeted phishing campaign against your organization. In that case, you need incident response guidance, not just personal steps.
Get Free AI-Powered Cyber First Aid
Teradef's free emergency tool gives your organization calm, expert guidance — even at 3am with no IT team. No account. No cost. Used by hospitals, NGOs and schools worldwide.
Get Free Emergency HelpProtect Yourself Going Forward
- Always deposit Interac transfers through your bank's app or website — never through email links
- Check the sender's email address character by character — scammers use look-alike domains
- Enable two-factor authentication on your online banking account
- Set up transaction alerts so you're notified instantly of any account activity
- Use a unique, strong password for online banking — never reuse it elsewhere
❓Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell a fake Interac e-Transfer?+
Fake e-Transfer emails use addresses like @interac-secure.com or @notifications-interac.ca — not the real @payments.interac.ca. They often have urgent language, ask you to "verify" banking information, or contain spelling errors. The safest rule: never click links in emails to deposit money. Go directly to your bank's app or website.
What do I do if I clicked a fake Interac link?+
Act immediately: call your bank's fraud line (on the back of your card), change your online banking password from a clean device, and report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre.ca or 1-888-495-8501. If you entered banking credentials, your bank may need to reissue your account details.
Can I get my money back from an Interac scam?+
It depends on how quickly you report it. Contact your bank immediately — many Canadian banks have fraud protection policies and may reverse transactions reported within 24–72 hours. File a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre as well. The faster you act, the better your chances.
What is notify@payments.interac.ca?+
This is the official email address Interac uses to send legitimate e-Transfer notifications. If an email claims to be from Interac but comes from any other domain, it is a scam. You can forward suspicious emails to phishing@interac.ca to report them to Interac directly.
Where do I report an Interac scam in Canada?+
Report to: (1) Your bank's fraud department immediately, (2) Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: antifraudcentre.ca or 1-888-495-8501, (3) Interac directly: phishing@interac.ca, (4) RCMP if money was lost. All four serve different purposes — filing all of them creates a stronger record.