Once again, local residents are being targeted by a common phone scam, just in time for tax season.
It’s commonly known as the Canada Revenue Agency scam, and involves calls, emails and text messages from scammers, claiming to be Canada Revenue Agency.
What happens is fraudsters contact targets by letter, phone, email or text message claiming that there is a tax refund pending or that a person owes money to “CRA”. Often, the messages have included threatening messages where the voice at the other end claims a lawsuit has been filed or an arrest warrant issued, along with a number to call for more information.
The city of North Battleford has issued a news release about the scam, noting that North Battleford residents have been a target of these tax extortion scams.."The City is reminding everyone to be cautious and alerted when they are contacted by “CRA.”
The City’s news release notes the website http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/fraudprevention states the CRA will never ask for personal information by email or text message, will never request payment by prepaid credit card, will never ask to share personal tax information with another person or organization, (unless agreed that it can be shared), will never leave personal information on an answering machine, and will never threaten or use coercive language.
If you are contacted by scammers the CRA advises to hang up the phone or to delete the message. If in doubt, people can check their CRA “My Account” or call 1-800-959-8281 to verify the presumed refund or debt.
