Can You Tell A CRA Agent from a Scam Artist?
No one plans to be a victim of fraud. Yet over the last five years, at least 60,000 Canadians have complained about being the target of fraudulent CRA phone calls. This constantly evolving scam has cost victims over $10 million, and the tricks don’t end there: phishing emails, direct deposit scams, tax preparer fraud, and even fraudulent letters in the mail all plague Canadians every year, particularly during tax season.
Many scam artists take advantage of the stress and emotion that comes with tax season by attempting to lift your personal information so they can cash in on a refund request or steal your identity.
The Office of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) wants you to know what to be on the lookout for, what the CRA will never ask you to do, and how to protect yourself this tax season. These scammers are crafty, but you can outsmart them by staying vigilant and watching for these tricks.