🛡️ Safety & Survivor Resources
Fraud can extend far beyond financial loss. In some situations, a fraudster may know where someone lives or works, have access to personal information, or have established an in-person relationship with the victim. Understanding personal safety, home security and the psychological techniques used by con artists can be an important part of protecting yourself and moving forward.
🛡️ Personal Safety & Safety Planning
When a fraudster, deceptive partner or other person has access to someone in real life, safety planning can matter as much as financial recovery.
The priority should always be awareness, distance, escape, getting to safety and obtaining help. Physical self-defence should be considered a last resort rather than the centre of a personal-safety plan.
⭐ RCMP — Personal Safety
https://www.rcmp.ca/en/bc/safety-tips/personal-safety
Current RCMP crime-prevention guidance covering personal safety, street-smart principles and safety at home and in the community.
⭐Canada.ca — Safety Tips if You Think You Are Being Stalked
Useful when deception has crossed into stalking, harassment or unwanted in-person contact. Covers documentation, trusted contacts, emergency planning and police involvement.
⭐Canada.ca — How to Plan for Your Safety
A practical safety-planning framework. Although written for abusive relationships, many of the planning principles can also be useful when a deceptive or controlling relationship creates a safety risk.
🥋 Self-Defence Videos — Supplemental Resources
Videos can introduce basic concepts, but hands-on self-defence is best learned and practised with a qualified instructor.
The objective of self-defence should be to create an opportunity to escape and get to safety, not to remain in a confrontation or try to “win” a fight.
⭐ Women's Self-Defense That Actually Works! — Gracie Jiu-Jitsu / GracieBreakdown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pndPbpHLpos
Introduces verbal boundaries, assessing intentions, deterrence and physical escape concepts.
⭐5 Self Defence Moves Every Woman Should Know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVpxP3ZZtAc
Optional demonstration of basic self-defence concepts. Physical techniques are best practised with qualified instruction.
⭐5 Choke Hold Defences Women MUST Know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V4vEyhWDZ0
Supplemental viewing only. Choke or strangulation situations are extremely high-risk, and video instruction is not a substitute for supervised practice.
🏠 Home & Property Safety
If someone involved in a fraud knows where you live, has previously been inside your home, knows your routines or possesses personal information about you, reviewing your home security can provide an additional layer of protection.
Consider your doors, windows, locks, lighting, cameras, mail, identification documents, access codes and what information about your home is publicly visible online.
⭐ RCMP — Home Security Tips
https://rcmp.ca/en/bc/safety-tips/theft-and-vandalism/home-security-tips
The strongest resource to start with. Covers locks, windows, lighting, door viewers, cameras, vacation security, property records and strategies for making a home appear occupied.
⭐SafeWise — Home Security Resources
https://www.safewise.com/resources/
Practical consumer-oriented information that can supplement official police guidance.
⭐ Reviews.org — Home Security
https://www.reviews.org/home-security/
Additional consumer information about home security and security technology. Use this as a supplemental resource after official police guidance.
⚠️ Important Safety Reminder
If a fraud situation has moved beyond financial deception into threats, stalking, harassment, intimidation or unwanted in-person contact, treat it as a personal-safety issue.
Prioritize getting to safety and obtaining appropriate help rather than confronting or attempting to investigate the person yourself.
Self-defence videos and online safety information can provide useful education, but they are not substitutes for professional instruction, police assistance or an individualized safety plan when someone may be at risk.