Canadian government has now issued a warning about a new kind of scam. According to a report by CTV News, Canadians are now being cautioned about a new type scam which involves text messages that falsely claim recipients are eligible for a ‘milk settlement’. The report suggests that the authorities stress that no such class action exists, and the messages are designed to trick people into clicking links and submitting personal information.
Canada warns citizens of ‘Milk scam’
CTV News reported that an Ontario resident Don Stoneman said that the message initially caught his attention, “I had never heard of any class action regarding milk products,” he told CTV News. After calling the number provided, he reached a generic voicemail in Nova Scotia, which raised his suspicions.Another resident from Ontario named Chris Hermann also said that the linked website looked convincing at first, using government-style icons and graphics. Having received legitimate class action payouts ij the past, Hermann also said that the messages also seemed plausible until the site asked for sensitive financial details such as credit card information. “That’s not it. Not good,” he recalled.
Experts warn that scammers using legitimate settlements
As reported by CTV News, Terry Cutler, cybersecurity expert explained that scammers are increasingly mimicking legitimate settlements to appear credible. “They’re blasting out messages saying, ‘You’re eligible for payment — click this link,’ and people end up on fake websites,” he said. Cutler also stressed on the fraudsters also refer to real cases such as Canada’s bread price-fixing settlement, or invent entirely new ones.The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reports Canadians have lost more than $2.4 billion to fraud since 2022, though only a fraction of incidents are reported. Cutler emphasised prevention: “There’s a very, very low chance you can get money back. Prevention is key.”On the other hand, Lawyer Linda Visser of Siskinds Law Firm said real settlements follow a structured process. Claimants typically fill out a form online, receive confirmation from a claims administrator, and are notified before payments are issued. Legitimate administrators do not request banking or credit card information via unsolicited texts or emails.
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Both Stoneman and Hermann avoided financial loss but said the experience underscores the need for caution. Hermann now verifies unexpected contacts by calling his bank directly or using secure apps.
