Scam Alerts

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’s 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 out 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

• 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 on our Fraud Hub

If you report this matter to us, do not discard the letter, documents and/or cheque until advised to do so.

Recruitment scams

Intro

We know of an online recruitment scam which involves fraudsters posing as our representatives to get personal information or steal money. These fraudsters are contacting people through social media and other messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp), asking them to share their personal details or pay money in order to apply for a job. To trick people into thinking this and the job advertisements are legitimate, the Aviva name and other public information from our official websites is being used. Unfortunately, these are not legitimate

What to look out for

• Requests for personal information that came from someone you don't know or don't trust
• Being asked to pay money as part of the application process (such as a 'pre-employment screening fee')
• Offers of employment which seem too good to be true, or too easy to secure
• Messages about jobs you haven't applied for or didn't expect
• Unusual benefits relating to a job, such as a salary quoted in a different currency
• Messages which reference coronavirus (COVID-19)

What to do if you're approached

We're actively working with technology companies to shut down fraudulent email addresses and social media accounts used in these scams, but if you're approached, it's important you know what to do next. If you're contacted by someone you don't know or trust asking you to apply for a role at Aviva, do not reply to their message. Instead report this to us. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a job at Aviva which you're applying for, get in touch at talent.canada@aviva.com. We investigate every report we get and we'll let you know what you need to do to stay safe. If you have information relating to potential insurance fraud against Aviva, or are an Aviva Canada customer, and you believe that you may have been the victim of insurance fraud, contact our 24 hours a day, seven days a week Fraud Information Centre on our Fraud Hub