Canada Revenue Agency scam trying to get personal information from callers

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A familiar scam is making the rounds of the Lower Mainland again.

People are getting calls from fraudsters pretending to be from the Canada Revenue Agency.

There are dozens of reports about the fake calls, with Coquitlam RCMP recently issuing a warning.

The caller trolls for personal info and demands money, often in the thousands of dollars.

Evan Kelly with the Better Business Bureau says it plays on people’s fear of authority.

“The scammers are really good at creating that sense of urgency and it’s coming from what they perceive as a government agency, so it’s got that air of legitimacy and that’s how they are getting people. They are getting people at a really awkward time and people are falling for it.”

He reminds people that CRA will never call you and demand money, and says if you do get a call asking, just simply hang up.

“Fortunately, it’s not the biggest scam in terms of money loss in Canada this year, but it is the most complaints that we receive and the most complaints that the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received, by far.”

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