Beware of fraudsters claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency

Did you get a suspicious email, telephone call, letter or text message claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)? If you’re asked for personal information such as your credit card number, bank account number or passport number, this is a scam. 

Keep these facts in mind: The Canada Revenue Agency will never:

● Ask for your personal or financial information through an unsolicited email with a link
● Ask for any kind of personal information through email or text message
● Ask for payment by prepaid credit cards or gift cards
● Leave your personal information on an answering machine
● Threaten you

Even if these messages may seem convincing, they are scams and you should never respond to them or click on any of their links.

Protect yourself

You can sign up for Account Alerts, CRA’s fraud prevention service. When you sign up through My Account or the MyCRA mobile web app, the CRA will let you know by email if your direct deposit information or your home or mailing address was changed, if mail sent to you by the CRA was returned, and if details about your representative were changed.

If you think you may have been the victim of a tax scam or have been tricked into giving out your personal or financial information, contact your local police as soon as possible because your financial security and personal identity are at risk.