It's a scam: Fraudulent calls are claiming to be from Quebec courts, SCOC

MONTREAL -- If you get a fishy – or rather, phishy – call from the Quebec Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Canada today, you're not alone.

 A phishing scheme seems to have popped up Thursday morning, with an aim to grab money and personal information such as social insurance numbers.

Here's what to expect: the calls are sometimes automated and sometimes made by live people, and they tell the recipient that a lawsuit has been brought against them. Those who answer the phone will see a number from the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court on their caller ID.

The issue has been so prevalent that the Court of Appeals has been flooded with calls since Thursday morning, said Caroline St-Pierre, the Courts of Quebec spokesperson. Calls are pouring in from everywhere, including from other provinces like Alberta, she said.

St-Pierre makes it clear that the Court of Appeals will never contact citizens by telephone to ask them for money or even information.

The Sûreté du Québec has been notified, she said, adding that Court of Appeals phone numbers have never been fraudulently used in this way before.

- With files from The Canadian Press