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Police remind public to be aware of CRA scams

Apr 26, 2017 | 10:33 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — With the tax deadline approaching, the Medicine Hat Police Service is reminding the public to be protective of their personal information and to avoid becoming victims of Canada Revenue Agency scams.

According to a police service news release, the CRA scams were first reported in 2013. The most common version of the scam involves someone claiming to be from the CRA telling the victim they have made an error on their tax return or neglected to file it. The fraudster will then ask for financial or banking information to settle the debt.

If the victim pushes back, the fraudster often responds with immediate threats of calling the police, sending CRA employees to the door, blacklisting a social insurance number or jail time. The hope is the caller will be frightened into complying. The farudsters often requestment payment of the debt in the form of gift cards.

While the CRA can take legal action to recover any owing money if people refuses to pay their debt, police remind the public the CRA will not threaten people with immediate arrest, request personal information to be sent by email, send you a link to your refund by email or text message or demand payment via prepaid credit card.

In some circumstances, the CRA will notify you by email when new mail is available for you to view in CRA secure portals such as My Account,. They will also e-mail you a link to a CRA webpage, form, or publication in response if you call the CRA looking for that information, and send you a notice of assessment or re-assessment by mail.

People who suspect a scam can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at www.antifraudcentre.ca or toll free at 1-888-495-8501. If you believe that you have been the victim of a CRA scam, contact the MHPS at 403-529-8481 or attend the MHPS in person at 884 2nd Street SE to speak to an officer.