A British Columbia woman fell victim to a sophisticated delivery scam after a fraudster impersonating a Rogers representative convinced her to return a newly purchased phone to a non-Rogers address in Mississauga, Ontario.
Shamim Rahimi, a Rogers customer, signed up for a new device and phone line through her Rogers app in February. The same day, a legitimate Rogers representative called to confirm the order. However, the next day, a second caller—also claiming to be from Rogers—told her the device would be delayed due to stock issues.
How the Rogers delivery scam unfolded
The fraudster demonstrated detailed knowledge of Rahimi’s account, including her contract, billing details, and the exact delivery date of her phone. They later convinced her to courier the device back to Rogers, allegedly to consolidate her phone numbers under one account for a loyalty offer. Rahimi was provided a prepaid UPS shipping label and sent the phone to the address, believing it was a Rogers facility.
After consulting a family member, Rahimi grew suspicious and contacted Rogers to report the fraud. The company, however, stated that the incident fell outside its fraud management scope, adding that “any actions taken with the device after purchase are not the responsibility of Rogers.”
Rogers’ response and fraud warnings
Rogers confirmed there was no breach of Rahimi’s account and emphasized its efforts to educate customers about fraud, including return scams. The company noted that the shipping box for Rahimi’s device included a physical warning about impersonation scams. Rogers also stated it was crediting Rahimi for her wireless services during the investigation.
Cybersecurity expert Claudiu Popa, founder of Canada’s KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation, advised customers to verify calls by contacting their provider directly using the official number on their bill. He also stressed the importance of reporting scams, citing Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre data: only up to 5% of fraud losses are reported, despite $700 million in reported losses last year.
