As tax season approaches, CRA and police are warning Canadians about tax scams that are stealing millions of dollars from innocent people across the country.
“A lot of it has to do with phone calls and demanding immediate payment, threatening arrest, threatening jail, using really aggressive language,” said CRA spokesman Paul Murphy. An estimated nine in 10 Canadians have been scammed through phone, email or in person. In many cases, people are getting calls to their home by someone claiming to be a CRA agent. They notify the resident they are about to be taken to court or police are about to come to their door to arrest them if they do not pay thousands of dollars owed in taxes immediately. [680 News]
However, there are a few things you should be aware of that CRA may ask you for, so for the best information, visit their website here. To report suspected scams, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at www.antifraudcentre.ca or toll free at 1-888-495-8501. If you believe that you may be the victim of fraud or have given personal or financial information unwittingly, contact your local police service, financial institution, and credit reporting agencies.
