The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported that Canadians lost almost $381 million to fraud in 2021. We want to ensure that clients are educated on how to protect themselves.
CRA Scams
One-way scammers will try to commit fraud is through acting as CRA. Whenever you are contacted by CRA, it is important to always ensure that you are able to identify if it is really CRA that you are speaking to.
CRA WILL contact you via phone, email or mail. CRA WILL NOT contact you via text message or instant messaging such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.
To verify your account, CRA may ask for your:
-
Name
-
Date of Birth
-
Social insurance number
-
Details of your account (such as information from your tax return)
CRA will NEVER:
-
Threaten you with arrest or jail time
-
Ask for your passport number, driver’s license number, or any personal financial information
-
Send threatening emails or voicemails
-
Ask you to make immediate payment via e-transfer, bitcoin, prepaid credit card or gift cards
Steps to take if you receive a suspicious call:
-
Request the Caller’s Name, Agent ID, Phone Number, and office location
-
Tell them you want to verify their identity
-
Then call CRA at 1-800-959-8281 (for individuals) or 1-800-959-5525 (for business) to confirm that they are a legitimate agent
Other Scams
Another scam GH&A has been made aware of is when a scammer will impersonate a trusted advisor and note for an individual or corporation to make their tax payment (Corporate, Provincial, GST or Payroll) via a wire transfer.
These institutions would never request a wire transfer payment. In addition, GH&A would never provide you with wire transfer information to make any type of tax payment.
For more information on how to protect yourself from scams and fraud visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.
Disclaimer
The information in this publication is current as of September 20, 2022.
This publication has been carefully prepared, but it has been written in general terms and should be seen as broad guidance only. The publication cannot be relied upon to cover specific situations and you should not act, or refrain from acting, upon the information contained therein without obtaining specific professional advice. Please contact Gregory, Harriman & Associates LLP to discuss these matters in the context of your particular circumstances. Gregory, Harriman & Associates LLP, its partners, employees and agents do not accept or assume any liability or duty of care for any loss arising from any action taken or not taken by anyone in reliance on the information in this publication or for any decision based on it.