Toronto police warn of AI-powered scams as impersonation fraud passes $50 million this year
Toronto Police Service detective says the city has received around 17,000 fraud reports so far in 2026, with one in six now involving someone pretending to be a bank or telecom agent, helped by artificial intelligence.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on toronto.citynews.ca.
Impersonation scams aided by artificial intelligence have grown into the top fraud category seen by the Toronto Police Service, a detective from the force's Financial Crimes Unit said on October 28, 2026. CityNews Toronto reported that Detective David Coffey told Breakfast Television that TPS has received around 17,000 fraud reports so far in 2026, and one in six of those are impersonation scams in which suspects pretend to be agents of a bank, a telecom, or another known organization.
As of mid-October, over $50 million had been stolen, Coffey said. "It's our number one type of fraud that we see and it covers such a wide range of different types of scams, but it's devastating to people," he told CityNews.
How the scams work
CityNews Toronto reported that AI now lets fraudsters call a victim already knowing their name, their bank, and sometimes the last four digits of their bank card. That information makes the call sound real and helps callers pressure victims to withdraw money.
"A person will receive a phone call and because of artificial intelligence when they call now they know more about us," Coffey said. "They know our name, they know what bank they use, they may know the last four digits of our bank card, so they utilize that information to convince people and compel them to go down and withdraw all their money."
Coffey told CityNews that different scams follow the same structure: create fear, then appear as the solution to that fear. "They are getting people into an emotional state using social engineering, and then they provide themselves as the answer to that panic and that emergency," he said.
What to do if a call triggers panic
Coffey said fear can work in a resident's favor if they recognize the tactic. If a call creates immediate panic, that feeling is a reason to stop, not to act fast.
"Urgency to me means slow down, it doesn't mean speed up," he told CityNews. He advises hanging up the phone and calling the bank, the police, or whatever organization the caller claimed to represent, using a number found independently. Do not let the caller do the verification, he said, because they will guide it in a way that benefits themselves.
What residents can do
Toronto residents who receive a suspicious call can hang up and call back using the number on the back of their bank card or on a statement. Suspected fraud can also be reported to the Toronto Police Service or to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The TPS non-emergency line is available for reports that do not require an immediate police response.
Questions this story answers
How many fraud reports has Toronto Police received in 2026?
CityNews Toronto reported on October 28, 2026 that Detective David Coffey of the Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit said TPS has received around 17,000 fraud reports so far this year. Of those, one in six are now impersonation scams, making it the top category of fraud the service sees.
How much money have impersonation scams stolen from Toronto residents?
According to CityNews Toronto, Detective Coffey said that as of mid-October 2026, over $50 million had been stolen from Toronto residents through fraud. Coffey described the losses as devastating to the people affected, adding that impersonation scams cover a wide range of different types of fraud.
How does artificial intelligence help scammers impersonate banks or telecoms?
CityNews Toronto reported that Detective Coffey said AI helps scammers call victims already knowing their name, their bank, and sometimes the last four digits of their bank card. They use that information to make the call seem real. The goal, Coffey said, is to put the victim in an emotional state using social engineering, then offer themselves as the answer to the panic they have created.
What does Toronto Police advise residents to do if they receive a suspicious call?
CityNews Toronto quoted Detective Coffey advising residents to pause the moment they feel panicked by a call. His advice: recognize urgency as a sign to slow down, hang up the phone, and then independently call the bank, the police, or whatever organization the caller claimed to represent. Do not let the caller do the verification, because they will verify it in a way that favors themselves.
What is the pattern in these impersonation scams?
Detective Coffey told CityNews Toronto that while individual scams differ, they follow a similar theme: creating a sense of fear and urgency in the victim. Scammers get people into an emotional state and then present themselves as the way out of that emergency. Coffey said the tactic is effective because it targets emotions rather than logic.
Who is Detective David Coffey?
Detective David Coffey is a member of the Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit. CityNews Toronto reported his comments on October 28, 2026, when he spoke to Breakfast Television about the rise of impersonation scams and the role of artificial intelligence in making them more convincing.
What is the Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit?
The Financial Crimes Unit is the section of the Toronto Police Service that investigates fraud and financial offences. Detective Coffey said on CityNews Toronto on October 28, 2026 that impersonation scams are the number one type of fraud his unit sees, and that they cover a wide range of different types of scams.
What should residents do if they have already been a victim of a scam?
CityNews Toronto reported Detective Coffey's general advice to contact the bank and police after any suspected fraud. Toronto Police can be reached through their non-emergency line, or residents can report online fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The article did not include a specific number for the Financial Crimes Unit.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
