Have You Seen a Scam Ad While Playing a Mobile Game?
CARP is helping investigative journalists document how fraudulent advertisements reach Canadians through mobile games, social media and other digital platforms.
The next scam attempt may not arrive through a suspicious telephone call or poorly written email. It may appear between rounds of a familiar game on your phone or tablet, in a Facebook or X feed, or disguised as an ordinary online advertisement.
These ads can feature an AI-generated version of a well-known celebrity, politician or financial expert. They may promote a cryptocurrency investment platform promising extraordinary returns, a fake gambling app, or a product that does not exist—or bears little resemblance to what eventually arrives.
Investigative journalists want to hear from Canadians
CARP recently spoke with freelance investigative journalists Madison Edward-Wright and Roman Broszkowski about the growing impact of fraud and scams on older Canadians.
They are working with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, commonly known as OCCRP, on an investigation into scam advertisements appearing on mobile gaming apps.
The journalists are particularly interested in hearing from Canadians who have encountered suspicious advertisements while playing games such as Candy Crush, Scrabble GO!, Toon Blast and Match Factory. They are investigating how these ads are placed and distributed, why previously identified scams continue to appear, and what decisions by digital platforms, advertisers and governments may have contributed to their spread.
OCCRP is a global nonprofit investigative newsroom. Its earlier Scam Empire investigation examined an international investment-fraud industry that used deceptive advertising, fake celebrity endorsements and imaginary investment platforms to attract victims. The project involved more than 30 media partners, including CBC/Radio-Canada.
Why CARP is sharing this request
Fraud has become one of Canada’s most serious and fastest-growing forms of crime. Canadians reported losing more than $704 million to fraud in 2025, bringing reported losses since 2022 to more than $2.4 billion. Because an estimated five to ten percent of fraud is reported, the real financial damage is in the billions annually.
The effect on an older victim can be permanent. A senior who loses retirement savings accumulated over several decades may have little opportunity to return to work and rebuild those savings.
In a recent CARP survey answered by more than 8,000 members, over 82 percent said they had been targeted by a scam, while nearly one in five reported losing money to fraud.
CARP President Anthony Quinn presented those findings to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology on June 11, 2026. He called for greater responsibility from the digital platforms that distribute fraudulent advertisements, the telecom companies that carry scam calls and messages, the financial institutions that move the money, and the governments responsible for enforcement and consumer protection.
“Fraud prevention must become a system responsibility, not merely an individual responsibility.”
For years, Canadians have been told to be more vigilant. Education remains important, but individuals cannot reasonably be expected to defend themselves alone against sophisticated, organized and increasingly technology-enabled criminal networks.
By sharing this request, CARP hopes members’ experiences can help investigators reveal how fraudulent advertisements reach Canadians and why more is not being done to prevent them from appearing.
The journalists would like to hear from you if:
- You have seen a suspicious investment, cryptocurrency, product or gambling advertisement while playing a mobile game.
- You clicked on, responded to or entered information into one of these advertisements.
- You received follow-up telephone calls, emails or messages after interacting with an advertisement.
- You remember the name of the game, approximate date, celebrity or politician shown, or the company or investment platform being promoted.
- You have a screenshot or other record of the advertisement.
You do not need to have lost money to participate. Seeing or recognizing one of these advertisements may still provide valuable information about how widely it was distributed.
Contact the journalists
Madison Edward-Wright
madyedwardwright@gmail.com
Roman Broszkowski
RBroszkowski@gmail.com
Suggested email subject line: Mobile Game Scam Advertisement — CARP
Participation is voluntary. CARP is helping connect interested Canadians with the journalists but is not directing the investigation or making decisions about what will be published.
Protect your information
Do not click a suspicious advertisement for the purpose of helping with the investigation. Only report ads you have already encountered.
Never email your banking password, PIN, social insurance number, credit-card number or complete account information. Before agreeing to an interview, ask whether the conversation will be on the record and how your name, image or personal story might be used.
Anyone who has transferred money should immediately contact their financial institution. Fraud should also be reported to local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, even when no money was lost. The centre can be reached at 1-888-495-8501 or through the federal online fraud-reporting service.
CARP will continue pressing governments, financial institutions, telecommunications providers and digital platforms to take greater responsibility for stopping fraud before Canadians lose their savings.
