Scammers are taking advantage of the new tax season to con Canadians out of their hard-earned money.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) has issued a scam alert after receiving multiple reports about fraudulent text messages that claim to be from the Canada Revenue Agency.
The texts include the recipient’s full name and social insurance number (SIN) as well as a request that payment of outstanding taxes be sent via e-transfer to a phone number.
This type of scam is known as “phishing.” Scammers use phishing techniques to get victims to send money or to obtain personal information such as banking information so they can steal money or commit fraud.
Most scammers will pretend to be a government agency or a well-known business such as a credit card company that is getting in touch about a lack of payment or other service issue.
Scams on the Rise
Canadians were cheated out of $567 million in 2023, an increase of $37 million since the previous year and a jump of $187 million since 2021, according to CAFC stats.The CAFC is working with the Competition Bureau and the RCMP this month to raise awareness about digital fraud both to educate Canadians about how to spot a scam, but also to encourage victims to come forward. The agency said despite the large increase in scams last year, only 5 to 10 percent of cases are actually reported.
Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell said it’s important Canadians recognize online scamming for what it is.
To avoid being the victim of online fraud, the CAFC recommends Canadians avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unsolicited messages and watch for spelling mistakes that often indicate an overseas scam.
The agency also advises against trusting a message simply because the email address looks legitimate, adding that fraudsters often spoof email addresses to lend credibility to their scam.
