In March, Brianna MacKay received a call from someone claiming to be from Rogers, offering a discounted phone plan with a complimentary iPad. Having previously benefitted from a similar offer, MacKay accepted without hesitation, noting the absence of any personal data request. The caller guided her through the promotion sign-up on the Rogers app. Shortly after, she received the iPad by mail and was contacted by another purported Rogers representative, who insisted on a data plan payment for the device in error. Despite MacKay’s protests about the initial agreement, she eventually returned the iPad, only to realize it was sent to an address in Brampton, not to Rogers, indicating a scam.
It emerged that MacKay unintentionally enrolled in an iPad financing contract with a data plan through Rogers, leading to an unexpected $120 monthly bill. Despite MacKay and another affected individual’s plea to Rogers to cease the charges, the company declined initially. Rogers later offered a $50 goodwill credit to MacKay and the other victim in an attempt to resolve the issue, yet the monthly costs persist. Upon CBC News intervention, Rogers waived the $20 monthly service charge for the data plan but insisted on the iPad payments.
Jeong Park, a Toronto senior seeking an affordable internet plan, fell prey to a similar scam after a misleading call from someone posing as a Rogers representative. The fraudster, pretending to offer a home phone and internet deal, enrolled Park in a two-year iPad financing program without her knowledge. Park’s attempt to obtain a refund from Rogers has been unsuccessful, with her son-in-law advocating for better safeguards during customer sign-ups.
Rogers emphasized caution against return scams, instructing customers to return devices exclusively to Rogers-designated addresses and never to entertain requests for returning devices via phone calls. The company underlined its commitment to educating customers about fraud prevention measures through various channels.
Both MacKay and Park reported the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and local authorities, seeking support to address the financial burden imposed by the fraudulent enrollments. According to experts, this type of scam, where victims unknowingly sign up for legitimate services, is gaining traction, highlighting the need for heightened vigilance. The scam involves diverting deliveries to random or vacant addresses, with fraudsters intercepting the items before the rightful recipients receive them.
The Canadian Telecommunications Association and law enforcement agencies are actively collaborating to combat such fraudulent activities, recognizing the growing financial losses incurred by victims. Service scams, including these fraudulent enrollments, have cost Canadians millions of dollars, with underreporting estimated to be prevalent, emphasizing the need for enhanced consumer awareness and protection.
