Is That OAS or CPP Letter or Call a Scam?

Our verdict

Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan are real, legitimate federal benefit programs administered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Service Canada. In 2024, CIRO (Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization) issued a public warning about a specific, confirmed scam campaign in which callers threatened to suspend OAS and CPP payments unless seniors cooperated with a 'tax assessment.' The callers directed victims to move funds into 'secure accounts' — accounts controlled by the scammers. Seniors lost retirement savings in multiple documented cases.

The benefit suspension threat follows a specific script. A caller claims to be from the Canada Revenue Agency, Service Canada, or ESDC. They state that your OAS or CPP payments are being suspended due to a tax debt, suspicious banking activity, or a SIN 'linked to criminal activity.' They demand immediate payment — often by gift card — or instruct you to move your savings to a 'protected account.' The calls are sophisticated: caller ID shows government numbers (spoofed), and callers may know your name, address, and benefit amounts from data obtained through other means.

The real government agencies that administer OAS and CPP never call threatening to suspend benefits without prior written notice. Benefit suspensions result from a formal review process with written correspondence that includes appeal rights. No legitimate government program requires gift card payment to restore benefits. OAS and CPP payments are never suspended by phone — any such call is a scam regardless of what appears on your caller ID.

CAFC data confirms seniors are the highest-loss demographic for fraud in Canada. Canadians 60 and older accounted for 40.3% of total reported dollar losses in 2024 — approximately $258 million. Benefit-related fraud is a significant component of that figure. The emotional pressure of benefit loss is deliberate: scammers know that losing OAS or CPP income is an existential concern for seniors on fixed incomes.

Legitimate contact for OAS and CPP questions: Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914 (English) or 1-800-277-9915 (French). My Service Canada Account at canada.ca. For benefit payment questions: call the number on your benefit statement, not any number in an unsolicited call. Suspected scam calls involving OAS or CPP: report to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501, reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca, and Service Canada fraud reporting at 1-800-622-6232.

Editorial note: This article reflects the state of publicly available information at the time of writing. Business practices, ownership, and safety records change over time. TrustChekr is not affiliated with any company reviewed here and does not receive payment for editorial coverage. Verdicts are based on documented evidence and are subject to revision.