Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has posted some warnings on scams whereby thousands of unsuspecting Canadians have fallen prey to and lost millions of dollars to scammers.
Check out the government’s website for more information and how to protect yourself – click here. Here are some important points mentioned by CRA on its website –
1) By phone, CRA will never
- ask for information about your passport, health card, or driver’s license
- demand immediate payment by Interac e-transfer, bitcoin, prepaid credit cards or gift cards from retailers such as iTunes, Amazon, or others
- use aggressive language or threaten you with arrest or sending the police
- leave voicemails that are threatening or give personal or financial information
2) By email, CRA will never
- give or ask for personal or financial information by email and ask you to click on a link
- email you a link asking you to fill in an online form with personal or financial details
- send you an email with a link to your refund
- demand immediate payment by Interac e-transfer, bitcoin, prepaid credit cards or gift cards from retailers such as iTunes, Amazon, or others
- threaten you with arrest or a prison sentence
3) By mail, CRA will never
- set up a meeting with you in a public place to take a payment
- demand immediate payment by Interac e-transfer, bitcoin, prepaid credit cards or gift cards from retailers such as iTunes, Amazon, or others
- threaten you with arrest or a prison sentence
4) CRA never uses text messages or instant messaging such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp to communicate with taxpayers under any circumstance. If a taxpayer receives text or instant messages claiming to be from the CRA, they are scams!
5) Other useful information on scammers posing as CRA employees. Check out this CRA’s website link – click here.