Canada Revenue issues text message scam warning

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Canada Revenue Agency is warning you not to click on any links sent to your phone via text that appear to have come from them.

The texts say there is an Interac e-transfer waiting for you with an attached link.

The CRA is reminding people that it will only send you money through direct deposit or a cheque, never through an e-transfer.

Jeff Meerman with TD Canada Trust says it’s a new take on an old kind of fraud.

“So what we have been seeing is customers or non-customers are getting a text message and in the text message there is a link saying that they need to either verify their information or that they got a message from CRA and that there is fraudulent link. If you click on that link it’s actually a fraud, they are trying to get personal information from people.”

He adds if you do receive a suspicious text and are unsure, it’s always best to double check with your bank.

 

The CRA does not do the following:

  • The CRA will not request personal information of any kind from a taxpayer by email.
  • The CRA will not divulge taxpayer information to another person unless formal authorization is provided by the taxpayer.
  • The CRA will not leave any personal information on an answering machine.

When in doubt, ask yourself the following:

  • Am I expecting additional money from the CRA?
  • Does this sound too good to be true?
  • Is the requester asking for information I would not include with my tax return?
  • Is the requester asking for information I know the CRA already has on file for me?
  • How did the requester get my email address?
  • Am I confident I know who is asking for the information?

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