3 in 4 Canadians Feel More Vulnerable to AI-Powered Fraud, TD Survey Finds

Risky digital habits and a lack of awareness are also heightening potential exposure to scammers.

TORONTO, Feb. 18, 2026 /CNW/ - With artificial intelligence continuing to advance at a rapid pace, a new TD survey reveals Canadians are feeling increasingly threatened by the next generation of financial fraud. The poll found that 3 in 4 Canadians (75%) say that AI advancements are making them feel more vulnerable to financial fraud, while 82% believe that scams are becoming progressively harder to spot. Another 86% are more concerned about fraud than they were five years ago, highlighting the rising prevalence of fraud in recent years. Meanwhile, the current fraud landscape is still causing significant harm, with nearly 1 in 4 (24%) Canadians saying they – or a family member – have been the victim of financial fraud or a scam in the past year.

"It's vital for Canadians to remember that longstanding fraud prevention tips remain as effective today as ever before," said Sophia Leung, Executive Vice President, Protect Platform at TD. "Don't respond to unsolicited communications—simply block and report them whenever possible. And always use secure networks. These simple actions can make a meaningful difference and significantly reduce risk."

Everyday Habits Fuel Risk
Despite widespread concern, more than half (52%) of Canadians polled have engaged in activity that can make them more vulnerable to fraud or scams, including:

• 18% use public Wi-Fi for personal or financial accounts
• 15% open email attachments from unknown senders
• 15% click links in texts or emails before verifying the sender
• 13% engage with questionable online offers
• 11% download apps or software from unfamiliar sources

In addition, many Canadians admit they aren't proactively seeking education or advice on fraud prevention:

• 41% say they never consult resources or seek fraud prevention advice or education
• 42% do so only a few times per year or less

Businesses Face Rising Threats
Canadian businesses aren't immune to the growing trend of financial fraud and scams. Business owners say they're feeling the pressure and recognizing the urgent need to protect themselves:

• 66% of business owners surveyed feel more exposed to fraud now than in previous years
• 61% see AI-driven crime as a major threat
• 46% endured at least one fraud or scam attempt in the past year

"Business owners are concerned about fraudsters accessing their customer data as they leverage technological advancements," said Sherry Kalantari, Senior Manager, Business Banking Fraud Prevention and Education. "To stay one step ahead of bad actors, Canadian business owners should continue to review and boost their security protocols while keeping up with the latest fraud trends and how to combat them."

Raising Awareness, Not Alarm
While the numbers are sobering, TD offers trusted advice and practical support that can help Canadians identify scams and defend themselves.

"Technology is rapidly evolving, and so are the tactics that scammers employ", added Leung. "TD created the Fraud Prevention Hub which is our public online resource centre designed to help clients and the general public identify, prevent, and report fraud and scams. Clients can also stay informed and monitor their account activity through TD Fraud Alerts, TD MySpend, and other money management tools."

TD resources include:

• Both the TD Fraud Protection page and the TD Stories Fraud Hub offer valuable information and advice for Canadians looking to keep themselves and their family informed about financial fraud and scam prevention.
• TD MySpend is a mobile app that can help track purchases and transactions made from personal TD Canadian dollar savings, chequing and credit card accounts and automatically group them into categories, to help provide an understanding of how money is spent. The app can provide notifications of spending transactions in real-time, helping make it easier for you to recognize fraudulent transactions fast.
• TD Fraud Alerts allow you to receive instant text messages on your Canadian mobile phone number, notifying you if TD detects suspicious activity on your TD Credit Cards or TD Access Cards.
• Card Controls from TD can help TD cardholders feel more confident if they misplace their TD Access Card or TD Credit Card because they can easily lock and unlock their TD Access Card or Credit Card, which provides cardholders with an added layer of security.
• Two-Step Verification (i.e. Security Verification Code) at online banking login provides flexibility (via text, phone or the TD Authenticate app) while helping to protect against fraud.
• For Business Banking accounts on TD Business Central, dual administration provides enhanced security to require any administrative change to receive approval from a second System Administrator or Administrator.

Staying vigilant and informed is key to defending against today's sophisticated scams. By taking advantage of TD's resources, TD personal and business clients can better safeguard themselves against evolving scams in the digital financial landscape.

About the TD Survey
This TD survey, conducted by Léger, ran from December 18, 2025 - January 5, 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 1,517 Canadian adults and 262 Canadian business owners. The results have been weighted by age, gender, and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of 1,500 has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

About TD Bank Group

The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the sixth largest bank in North America by assets and serves over 28.1 million clients in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, including TD Canada Trust and TD Auto Finance Canada; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance U.S., and TD Wealth (U.S.); Wealth Management and Insurance, including TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD Insurance; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities and TD Cowen. TD also ranks among North America's leading digital banks, with more than 13 million active mobile users in Canada and the U.S. TD had $2.1 trillion in assets on October 31, 2025. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange.

SOURCE TD Bank Group