Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

437 Area Code Scam - How to Protect Yourself
437 Area Code Scam - How to Protect Yourself

The 437 area code is a legitimate number for Toronto, Ontario. However, scammers frequently spoof these local numbers to trick you into answering, or they use them in premium-rate callback scams to steal money.

Types of 437 Scams

  • Spoofed Local Calls: Scammers "mask" their real number to make it look like it's from a local 437 number. They might pretend to be a bank, or the CRA/IRS, threatening you to pay up immediately or claim your Social Insurance Number has been canceled.
  • Ring and Run: Your phone rings once and drops. If you call back, you are routed to a premium-rate service that charges exorbitant international rates.
  • Wrong Number Text / Emergency Texts: You receive a message like "Hey Dad, I got a new number!" or a fake Amazon alert trying to get you to click a malicious link or provide personal info.

How to Protect Yourself

  • Never answer calls from unknown numbers, and do not call or text back unexpected 437 numbers if they leave no voicemail.
  • Block numbers directly in your phone’s settings when you encounter suspicious activity.
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