County OPP officials are warning residents about fraudulent communications that are being received throughout the province.
The OPP would like to advise the public about an ongoing scam involving fraudulent communications from persons claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Police have received numerous reports from residents having received phone, mail or emails appearing to be from the CRA. These communications indicate to the receiver that either the CRA owes them a refund or that they owe the CRA in back taxes, which is to be paid immediately.
The communications will go on to instruct the receiver to provide personal information in order to either receive the benefit or pay the outstanding bill.
As per the Canada Revenue Agency Website, the CRA will not request personal information of any kind from a taxpayer by email.
Here are some tips to remember when you are in receipt of any communication (phone, mail or e-mail) appearing to be from the CRA:
– do not take immediate action. Verify that what you are being told is the truth;
– ask yourself why the CRA would be asking for personal information over the phone or e-mail that they likely already have on file for you as a taxpayer; and
– contact the CRA to confirm that you in fact owe back taxes, or are entitled to a refund, before providing any personal or banking information.
For more information about fraud scams involving the CRA visit the Canada Revenue Web page at https://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ntcs/bwr-eng.html.
To learn more about this type of scam and other fraud scams currently affecting Canadians visit the Canadian Anti-fraud centre website at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
