North

RCMP warn of scammers targeting N.W.T. wildfire evacuees

Texts claiming to offer 'Canada Relief Fund' payments from the CRA are bogus, the police forced warned people on Sunday.

Texts claiming to offer 'Canada Relief Fund' payments from CRA are bogus

A keyboard is shown with the word Scam written where the Return key is.
Texts sent to N.W.T. wildfire evacuees and claiming to offer 'Canada Relief Fund' payments from the CRA are bogus, the RCMP warned people on Sunday. (CBC)

RCMP in the Northwest Territories are warning people about scammers targeting people whose lives have already been upended by the ongoing wildfires and evacuations.

Texts appearing to be sent from the Canada Revenue Agency and offering people payments from a "Canada Relief Fund" are not legitimate and should not be clicked on, the police force said in a release issued on Sunday

"Clicking on links in text messages from unknown sources can potentially expose cell phone users to inadvertently downloading malicious software that can compromise your personal information," the RCMP said. 

"If you have not applied for financial support from a specific agency but then receive unsolicited correspondence, it is likely a scam."

The RCMP provided an example of the bogus text:

Scam window
(Submitted by RCMP)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Guy Quenneville

Reporter at CBC Ottawa

Guy Quenneville is a reporter at CBC Ottawa born and raised in Cornwall, Ont. He can be reached at guy.quenneville@cbc.ca