Shawnigan Lake RCMP are advising citizens that the Canada Revenue Agency scam is “still very active on Vancouver Island with dozens of phone calls being received by the local detachments each week,” including recently.
The CRA scam starts off as a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the agency who informs you that you haven’t paid your taxes and that as a result, a warrant has been issued for your arrest — unless that is, you fork over money immediately.
“This is not how the Canada Revenue Agency conducts business and it is a scam,” said a press release issued by the Shawnigan detachment. “ At this point your best course of action is to hang up the telephone.”
Loads of people have been getting phone calls from would-be scammers.
“They called me and I kinda freaked out,” admitted Duncan’s Robert Casey. “I couldn’t get the number done fast enough.”
He said it wasn’t a real person but a recording trying to bilk him out of his funds.
“I learned income tax [the CRA] doesn’t do that,” he said. “I called them and they told me I didn’t owe any money.”
He was still shaken after the incident despite the assurances of the Canada Revenue Agency.
“I’m on disability and trying to figure out how I owe money,” he said. “I understand I’m not the only one.”
Casey noted it was a good thing he was too flustered to write down the number on the recording. Even so, he said he would likely have done some research long before paying any money. He did think it was a good idea to tell his story to warn others to be aware of suspicious phone calls.
It’s always a good idea to hang up and call back — at a number you research yourself — to ensure you’re speaking with the correct agency, be it a bank or the CRA or otherwise.
Read the full story over at Cowichan Valley Citizen.
