Wellington County OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) continue to receive reports of emails, text messages and telephone calls related to tax scams.
Tax scams can involve the following:
1. Fraudsters call consumers impersonating the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and claiming that a recent audit has identified discrepancies from past filed taxes. Repayment is required immediately. Fraudsters threaten consumers that failure to pay will result in additional fees, jail time and/or deportation. Fraudsters may request payment via money service business, pre-paid cards/gift cards (iTunes) or bitcoin.
2. Consumers receive an email or text message indicating a refund is pending from the CRA. The email includes a link that directs consumers to a website that looks like the actual CRA. Consumers are asked to fill in their personal information such as social insurance number, date of birth and banking information before receiving the refund (email money transfer). Victims who input their personal information are subject to identity fraud. No refund is ever issued.
How to protect yourself
In most cases, the CRA will use registered mail to contact consumers – not email or phone.
Contact the CRA directly to confirm you owe taxes or are entitled to a refund.
Never provide personal information over the telephone, by text or email.
The CRA would never request payment by money service business, iTunes gift cards or bitcoin. For more information about frauds involving the CRA, visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
If you’ve shared personal information, contact Equifax and Trans Union to place fraud alerts on your account.
If you’ve shared banking information with the scammers, contact your financial institution to place alerts on your account. If you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, contact local police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or report online at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
