Waterloo Region police warn of ongoing mobile phone promotion scam

Waterloo Regional Police warned on November 13, 2026, that they continue to receive reports of a scam offering Waterloo Region residents discounted mobile devices and telecommunications services.

Over the previous several weeks, people reported being contacted by individuals claiming to represent a telecommunications company, police said. The callers offered substantial discounts on existing services, free devices or promotional upgrades.

In several reported cases, people were told to order new mobile devices through legitimate accounts or service providers. They were then instructed to return the devices using shipping labels or give them to people who came to their homes to collect them. In other cases, people gave personal or financial information to those behind the scam.

Police said some people suffered financial losses, while others recognized the scam before losing money or property.

How to check an offer

Police urge residents to be cautious about unsolicited calls, emails and texts offering discounts, promotions or account upgrades. They recommend that residents:

• Contact the company independently using a number from its official website or an existing bill before accepting an offer.
• Be cautious about unsolicited offers of free devices, substantial discounts or account upgrades.
• Never give an unsolicited caller personal, banking, credit card or identification information.
• Verify requests to ship, return or hand over a device before acting.
• Be wary of requests for tracking numbers, account credentials, verification codes or copies of identification documents.

Police said legitimate companies do not send representatives to homes to collect bank cards, credit cards, personal electronics or mobile devices as part of a fraud investigation or account verification.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted should immediately contact their financial institution, monitor their accounts for suspicious activity and report the incident to police. Police also encourage victims to report fraud and attempted fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.