MONTREAL — Conservative chief Pierre Poilievre says he’ll crack down on senior scams, promising stricter sentences for convicted fraudsters and fines of as much as $5 million for firms that don’t implement ample rip-off prevention.
In a marketing campaign cease in Montreal, Poilievre mentioned a Conservative authorities would cross the “Cease Scamming Seniors Act” that may impose a bunch of recent fraud reporting and detection obligations for monetary establishments and telecommunications firms.
The act goals to handle the rising menace and class of telephone and digital scams notably focusing on seniors. He cited the well-known “grandparent” rip-off the place fraudsters name seniors purporting to be their grandchild who’s in want and asking them to urgently wire them cash.
“Below my authorities, we’re going to cease these fraudsters. Interval.”
—Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre talking with reporters in Montreal as he broadcasts his plan to guard seniors from monetary scams. #cdnpoli #elxn2025 pic.twitter.com/NVYGgVP6TX
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) April 15, 2025
Federal authorities have additionally just lately warned of the rising use of synthetic intelligence (AI) in these scams. For instance, some fraudsters go so far as utilizing AI expertise to duplicate a sufferer’s member of the family’s voice to persuade them into transferring them funds.
Poilievre mentioned Tuesday that the laws would compel banks and telecom firms to “deploy state-of-the-art expertise to catch scams and stuff earlier than they occur, not after when it’s too late.”
He mentioned the act would require “obligatory rip-off detection techniques” and real-time flagging and blocking of “suspicious exercise” for monetary establishments and telcos.
He additionally promised to impose a compulsory minimal one-year jail sentence for fraud over $5,000, which might improve to 5 years for frauds over $1 million. His authorities would guarantee fraudsters are fined 10 occasions the quantity defrauded.
That will additionally include a brand new Legal Code offence of “willful blind profiteering from fraud” which he mentioned would goal executives of organizations who ignore pink flags and “knowingly enable” scams to occur.
Extra to come back…
Nationwide Put up
cnardi@postmedia.com
