Preventing Fraud

Keeping our customers' personal information secure and confidential is one of Costco Wholesale's highest priorities. Below are some of the most common types of scams, and suggestions on how you can be aware and help protect yourself against identity theft.

Text Scam Not Affiliated With Costco

There is a text scam circulating that asks members to click on a link to claim their 2% Executive Member reward. The text is a SCAM. Costco does not send text messages with respect to the 2% Executive Reward. The 2% Executive Reward is mailed to our members. Do not answer the text or click on the link as it is not from Costco.

Survey Scams

We have recently seen an increase in fraudulent surveys from parties claiming to be Costco. Individuals are given the opportunity to receive a free prize if they respond to the survey. We also do not ask customers to provide personal information online or via text. The only on-line request by Costco for personal information is through our official website, Costco.ca.

Costco is working in partnership with the RCMP's anti-fraud centre and, if you have been a victim of this type of fraud, we ask that you contact them online at antifraudcentre.ca.

Previous Types of Scams

Facebook Scams

There have been some Facebook accounts using the Costco name and logo claiming to offer merchandise at below-market prices or giving away samples. They are SCAMS, and they are neither sponsored nor endorsed by Costco. Costco does not ask for money to ship you samples. We also do not ask customers to provide personal information online or via text. The only on-line request by Costco for personal information is through our official website, Costco.ca.

Fictitious Job Offer Emails

Fraudsters launched an email campaign advising individuals that Costco Wholesale is offering or may offer them a job. The emails can be quite authentic looking. They contain a subject line such as "Provisional Job Offer," and purport to have been sent directly from one of our executives or from our human resources department. Enclosures, such as company information sheets and detailed questionnaires, may display the Costco Wholesale logo. The emails may include a request for payment of a processing fee of several hundred dollars and/or they may offer reimbursement for certain job applications or relocation expenses.

These emails are fraudulent. Costco Wholesale does not extend job offers via email to individuals with whom it has had no prior contact. We do not ask prospective employees to pay a fee to be considered for a position or to receive a job offer. We do not authorize recruiters or agents to do any of these things on our behalf. Although we sincerely regret that anyone may have been deceived by these fraudulent job offers, we will not honour them in any way.

You should not respond to any of these job offers by revealing personal information, nor should you send any funds in response to them. If you receive one of these fraudulent offers, please report the matter to your local police department.

Phishing and Spoofing

This is when a criminal will send you a phony message or a website link that appears to be from a legitimate business. They will directly request that you provide personal financial information, such as:

Name and address
Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Credit card numbers / bank account numbers
PIN / passwords

Pop-up advertisements

Some advertisements "pop up" in a separate browser window, advising that you have won a contest or request that you participate in a survey to collect a prize. They may then ask that you provide personal information in order to receive your gift. By clicking on the link, it is possible that you are also downloading viruses designed to capture or destroy information on your computer.

Cheque Scam

A similar but low-tech scam circulates occasionally, in the form of a cheque, purportedly from Costco, and instructions to deposit it right away, usually in order to receive the balance of a larger sum you have "won" or that has otherwise come to you unexpectedly. You will be instructed to immediately send a payment, in the form of a second personal cheque, wire transfer, etc. to some third party to cover taxes, processing fees, administrative costs, or some similarly vague expense. The cheque you received in the mail likely will look quite authentic, and probably has our Costco Wholesale trademark on it. Do not deposit the cheque or follow the instructions you receive with it. The cheque you deposit will bounce; the cheque you write or funds you wire will clear, before you know about the bounce, and certainly before you can effect stop payment on your own cheque.

What can you do?

Never respond to emails that cannot be verified.
Never provide personal information via email or by text.
Contact the business by using legitimate phone numbers to verify the request.
Enter websites using your browser and not by clicking on provided links.
Be cautious of any solicitation requesting that you deposit a check or pay a fee to collect a prize.

Consider filing a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) by phone or online.

Phone: 1-888-495-8501
Online: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

Please contact us to report any suspicious emails or contacts that are using the Costco Wholesale name.

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