Online fraudsters are taking advantage of the financial strain faced by many Canadians amid Covid-19, warn police. 

Scammers are using bogus loan websites, designed to look legitimate, in an attempt to extort personal information at a time when many people are looking to borrow money to make ends meet, states a news release from NWT issued Tuesday. 

The scam is on the radar of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which recently issued a warning. 

The agency says fraudsters are using phony loan applications to gather victimsSA国际影视传媒� personal information in an effort to defraud cash and steal identities, say . 

SA国际影视传媒淥nce quickly approved, the fraudsters will request a fee to secure the loan. The victim never receives any money,SA国际影视传媒� state police. 

HereSA国际影视传媒檚 how to protect yourself from the online scam: 

• Never send money upfront. Most jurisdictions have made it illegal for loan companies to request upfront fees before a loan is received. 
• Beware SA国际影视传媒済uaranteed loans:SA国际影视传媒� if theySA国际影视传媒檙e offering it, despite bad credit or no credit at all, think twice.  
• Look for red flags like SA国际影视传媒渋nstant approvalSA国际影视传媒� offers.
• Reach out to consumer protection agencies or financial regulators to ensure the company is a legitimate lender.
• Is the loaner requesting payment via email transfers, money service businesses or prepaid credit cards? If so, end all contact. 

If you think you've fallen victim to fraud or a fraud attempt, report the incident to your local detachment and contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

For more information on how to protect yourself against scams and fraud, click here: www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca