Between June 5, 2025, and November 23, 2025, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) in collaboration with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) worked to successfully deactivate more than 3,900 fake investment platforms and cryptocurrency scam websites involving more than 6,900 individual URLs associated with those sites.
CSA’s digital enforcement efforts led to the removal of thousands of fraudulent sites and worked to educate investors on the warning signs.
Scale of Enforcement
Between June 5 and November 23, 2025:
- 6,918 fake URLs deactivated
- 3,961 websites removed
Types of fraudulent sites taken down
CSA protects Canadians from two main types of scams:
- Fake investment platforms
- Cryptocurrency scams
How We Identify Scams
Red flags of investment fraud:
- Pressure to invest urgently
- Promise of guaranteed returns
- Not on the CSA’s National Registration Search
- Unsolicited advice from strangers
- Celebrity or political endorsement
Continued Vigilance
CSA has provided information on many URLs for potential deactivation — an ongoing effort to keep Canadians safe from online fraud.
CSA’s Role
You can find more resources on the CSA’s website. Always report fraudulent websites to your local securities commission.
Learn more a www.securities-administrators.ca.
While the new initiative results in the rapid deactivation of many problematic websites, Canadians are encouraged to report any websites they have concerns about to their local securities regulator.
The CSA continues to urge investors to remain vigilant and to look out for common red flags of investment fraud, including:
- The involvement of unregistered individuals or firms.
- Promises of high or guaranteed returns on low-risk investments.
- Unsolicited advice or requests to access your devices from strangers.
- Feeling pressured into making a decision on the spot.
- Fake endorsement involving a celebrity, athlete or politician on social media.
- Requests for money when attempting to withdraw funds.
- Fraud recovery companies that promise to get back lost funds.
Investors are reminded that investment firms need to register with provincial or territorial securities regulators as dealers or advisers to open trading accounts or recommend investments. Investors should always check the registration of anyone who tries to sell them an investment or give them investment advice with the CSA’s National Registration Search. Further resources on how to identify and avoid fraud can be found on the CSA’s website.
Suspect you or someone you know is a victim of an investment scam?
If you feel like you or someone you know has been approached or is a victim of fraudulent investment, contact your local securities regulator.