- ESDC: there is no legitimate fee to apply for, replace or protect your SIN; requests for payment are fraudulent.
- ESDC: the government will never request your SIN by phone unless you initiated the call; be wary of unsolicited contact claiming your SIN is “compromised” or threatening to lock or cancel it.
- A new SIN is issued only with clear evidence that the current one has been used fraudulently.
- Criminal Code s. 56.1 lists Social Insurance Number cards among identity documents; up to 5 years on indictment for procuring, possessing, transferring, selling or offering for sale one that relates to another person.
Two different searches
“Fake social insurance number” draws about 590 searches a month in Canada in our DataForSEO pull. Some of those people are victims of a call that said their SIN had been blocked. Others want a number to work under. They need different answers, and this page gives both, from the Government's own words.
If someone called you about your SIN
The Employment and Social Development Canada page on protecting your SIN describes the scam directly. Scammers contact you unexpectedly and claim that your SIN is compromised, or threaten to lock or cancel it. Its fixed points are:
| The caller says | What ESDC says |
|---|---|
| “Your SIN has been suspended or blocked” | Be wary of unsolicited contact claiming your SIN is compromised or threatening to lock or cancel it. |
| “Confirm your SIN to us now” | The government will never request your SIN by phone unless you initiated the call; legitimate requests arrive through official channels, not unexpected calls, texts or emails. |
| “Pay a fee to replace or protect it” | There is no legitimate fee to apply for, replace or protect your SIN. |
| “We will issue you a new number” | A new SIN is issued only with clear evidence that the current one has been used fraudulently. |
What to do in the first hour
- Hang up or delete. If you called back a number from the message, stop.
- Do not give a SIN, date of birth or bank details to an unexpected caller.
- If you already did, tell your bank and credit card issuers and ask for fraud alerts; report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 and to local police.
- Use the official channel for anything about your SIN: the Service Canada SIN program contact page and the SIN fraud page ESDC links from its protection guidance. The ESDC page also points to a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
The CAFC's full reporting route is on where to report fraud in Canada.
If you want a number to work under
A SIN is attached to a person and issued by the Government. We found no Canadian police or regulator notice describing a market for forged SINs, so we do not describe one. The law is clear about the document: the Criminal Code's definition of an identity document in section 56.1 includes Social Insurance Number cards, and it is an offence without lawful excuse to procure, possess, transfer, sell or offer for sale one that relates or purports to relate to another person, with a ceiling of five years on indictment. Using a forged document as genuine falls under section 368, with a ceiling of ten years. Obtaining or possessing another person's identity information with intent to use it for a fraud-type offence falls under section 402.2, five years. See the Criminal Code and fake documents for the full sections. Those are maximums, not forecasts.
The lawful route is simple: the SIN is free, and the Government's own page is the only place to apply. Anyone who asks you to pay for a SIN is, by ESDC's own words, running a fraud.
Protecting the number you have
- ESDC advises limiting access: avoid carrying your SIN card and store documents securely.
- Give your SIN only when it is legally required.
- If your SIN was used fraudulently, report it through the SIN fraud page; ESDC says it will consider a new number only with clear evidence of fraudulent use.
- If you sent a copy of your ID to a scammer, tell your bank, and see what to do if you paid a scammer.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost money to get a Social Insurance Number?
No. ESDC says there is no legitimate fee to apply for, replace or protect your SIN, and any request for payment is fraudulent.
Will Service Canada call me about my SIN?
ESDC says the government will never request your SIN by phone unless you initiated the call, and legitimate requests do not come through unexpected calls, texts or emails.
Can my SIN be suspended or blocked?
ESDC warns that claims your SIN is compromised, locked or about to be cancelled are scam tactics.
What if my SIN was stolen?
A new SIN is issued only with clear evidence that your current one has been used fraudulently. ESDC points to its SIN fraud page and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for complaints.
Is a fake SIN illegal in Canada?
Section 56.1 of the Criminal Code lists SIN cards as identity documents and covers procuring, possessing, transferring or selling one that relates to another person, up to five years on indictment. Using a forged document as genuine falls under section 368.
Where do I report a SIN scam call?
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online, and to local police if you lost money.
Sources and official links
- Employment and Social Development Canada: protecting your Social Insurance Number
- Criminal Code, section 56.1 (identity documents)
- Criminal Code, section 368 (use, trafficking or possession of forged document)
- Criminal Code, section 402.2 (identity theft and trafficking in identity information)
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: how to report fraud