TL;DR: Canadian police have recovered scam money in cases ranging from a 2019 Victoria investigation, which returned $35,000 from an account in India, to the RCMP's 2025 Tether seizure worth about C$640,000 and a three-year Toronto romance scam probe that returned about C$225,000.

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Victoria, March 2019: $35,000 from an account in India

Global News reported on March 13, 2019 that Victoria police had recovered $35,000 from an account in India. $23,000 went to an Ontario victim and $12,000 to a victim in Wisconsin. The investigation began in spring 2018 when a Victoria woman reported losing $1,400 to scammers posing as computer virus cleaners.

Months later the same woman was contacted again with a promise to return her money. Police said the scammers were in fact laundering money from other victims through her account, telling her she had to receive and resend funds because of 'complex tax and accounting rules'. Banks placed holds on fraudulent payments. Police identified victims across Ontario, New York, Wisconsin and New Jersey, and no charges had been laid at the time.

The lesson: do not move money for a stranger

A victim who is asked to receive and forward funds may be unknowingly acting as a money mule. If anyone asks you to do that, stop and call your bank and police. See bank impersonation scams in Canada and a fake bank investigator scam in Guelph for other Canadian patterns.

More Canadian recoveries

Report it

Report fraud to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, using how to report fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Elsewhere: US scam victims who got their money back, the SFO's £400,000 return to nine victims, the UK's £249.6 million APP scam reimbursement and how Indian police are returning frozen fraud money.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Victoria police recover in the 2019 case?

$35,000 from an account in India: $23,000 to an Ontario victim and $12,000 to a victim in Wisconsin.

How was the Victoria woman involved?

She first lost $1,400 to a fake virus cleaning scam, then was contacted again and unknowingly used to receive and resend other victims' money.

Is the 2019 case recent news?

No. It was reported in March 2019 and is included as an example of how international cases are traced.

Where do I report fraud in Canada?

Report to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Sources

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