An urgent email claims you have an unpaid snow removal or contractor invoice — pay by Interac now
Scammers send alarming emails claiming homeowners or businesses have an unpaid invoice from a snow removal, landscaping, or maintenance contractor. An immediate Interac e-Transfer is demanded to "confirm the reservation" for the upcoming season. 30+ Quebec contractors reported four simultaneous campaigns in September 2026.
Also known as: fake snow removal invoice email Canada, fausse facture de déneigement arnaque, fake contractor invoice Interac scam, fake landscaping invoice email fraud Canada, seasonal contractor deposit scam Canada
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Do not click any links or pay any amount before calling the contractor you actually use — verify by phone using a number you find yourself, not one in the email
- 2 If you don't use a snow removal or landscaping service, delete the email — you owe nothing to a company you never hired
- 3 Check the sender's email domain: a legitimate contractor uses their business domain (e.g. @snowpros.ca), not a personal Gmail
- 4 If you already paid by Interac e-Transfer: call your bank immediately — if the recipient has not yet accepted it, the transfer can sometimes be intercepted
- 5 Report the scam email to the Competition Bureau Canada at competitionbureau.gc.ca and to your local police non-emergency line
- 6 Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.
Red flags
- ⚠ The invoice or deposit request arrives by email from a personal Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo address — not a business domain or verified contractor account
- ⚠ You have no memory of signing a contract with this company — the email claims you already owe money for a service you don't recall ordering
- ⚠ The email creates urgency: 'pay immediately or lose your reservation' or 'unpaid invoice — service will be cancelled'
- ⚠ Payment is requested by Interac e-Transfer to a personal email — legitimate contractors issue formal invoices with business registration, HST/GST number, and accept cheque or credit card
- ⚠ The email arrives in early fall or late spring, just before seasonal services are due — the timing targets homeowners who are thinking about winter or summer contracts
- ⚠ The company name and address cannot be found on Google Maps, the Better Business Bureau, or any provincial contractor registry