What are the red flags of this scam?

An unsolicited call offers a free phone upgrade, loyalty reward, or discounted plan — real telecom promotions come through official channels, not cold calls • The caller knows your name, account number, or recent bill amount — this information is available from data breaches and does not prove the caller is your provider • You are asked to share a one-time passcode (OTP) sent to your phone 'to confirm the offer' — sharing an OTP gives the caller account access • A new device arrives in the mail that you did not order • The caller instructs you to ship the device to an address for 'return processing' — you are shipping it to the scammer

What should I do if this happened to me?

Hang up on any unsolicited call offering a free device or plan upgrade. Call your provider back on the number on your bill • Never share a one-time passcode or verification code with anyone who called you — OTPs authenticate you, and sharing one transfers your account control • If you receive an unexpected device in the mail, call your provider immediately before doing anything with it • Check your account online directly for any unauthorized device orders and report them to your carrier • File a report with your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.

HIGH phishing Last reported: Sep 29, 2026 Share

A caller pretends to be Rogers, Bell, or TELUS and offers a free upgrade — then ships phones to themselves using your account

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. A caller claims to be your wireless provider (Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Fido) offering a loyalty upgrade or free device. They know your account details. They ask you to share a verification code "to confirm the offer." They then use your account to order expensive phones delivered to your address — and direct you to ship the "extra" devices elsewhere.

A caller claims to be your wireless provider (Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Fido) offering a loyalty upgrade or free device. They know your account details. They ask you to share a verification code "to confirm the offer." They then use your account to order expensive phones delivered to your address — and direct you to ship the "extra" devices elsewhere.

Also known as: telecom impersonation device scam Canada, Rogers Bell TELUS upgrade scam, cellphone provider fraud Canada, wireless account takeover phone scam, loyalty upgrade call scam

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 Hang up on any unsolicited call offering a free device or plan upgrade. Call your provider back on the number on your bill
2 Never share a one-time passcode or verification code with anyone who called you — OTPs authenticate you, and sharing one transfers your account control
3 If you receive an unexpected device in the mail, call your provider immediately before doing anything with it
4 Check your account online directly for any unauthorized device orders and report them to your carrier
5 File a report with your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.

Red flags

⚠ An unsolicited call offers a free phone upgrade, loyalty reward, or discounted plan — real telecom promotions come through official channels, not cold calls
⚠ The caller knows your name, account number, or recent bill amount — this information is available from data breaches and does not prove the caller is your provider
⚠ You are asked to share a one-time passcode (OTP) sent to your phone 'to confirm the offer' — sharing an OTP gives the caller account access
⚠ A new device arrives in the mail that you did not order
⚠ The caller instructs you to ship the device to an address for 'return processing' — you are shipping it to the scammer

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources