We would like to make you aware of an ongoing fraud scheme. We have had reports that people have received letters that appear to be from a lawyer/attorney in an envelope using the Aviva Canada name and logo. These letters claim to be notifying recipients that they are inheriting a substantial amount of money or are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy for a distant relative. In some cases, a cheque that looks like it has been issued by Aviva Canada for an advanced payment on the funds is enclosed with the letter.
Aviva Canada does not provide life insurance within Canada. The cheques are fraudulent, and the letters do not constitute a claim to a legitimate inheritance or life insurance policy.
What to look for
- To help spot a fraudulent letter, look for:
- Common spelling or grammatical errors
- If it asks you to contact the lawyer/attorney to obtain the funds and pay “taxes” or “fees” to claim the funds
- If they use a free email service used in the contact email (such as Hotmail, Outlook, Yahoo or Gmail)
- A request to provide documentation to claim the funds
- Instructions asking for a “high level of confidentiality”
Actions you can take to protect yourself
- If you suspect you have received a fraudulent letter, do not:
- Call the number or email the email address listed on the letter
- Disclose any banking or personal identification information (such as your Social Insurance Number)
- Attempt to cash the enclosed cheque or pay any “processing fees” or “taxes”
If you think you have received one of these letters and wish to report it, or confirm the authenticity of it, please contact Aviva Verify and our 24 hours, seven days a week Fraud Information Centre:
If you report this matter to us, do not discard the letter, documents and/or cheque until advised to do so.
If you have provided any personal information which you believe is linked to a scam, we also recommend that you contact your local police department, as well as your financial institution.
Disclaimer: It is your responsibility to determine if this incident should also be reported to your financial institutions and/or local police authorities
