RCMP warn scammer posing as Canada Revenue Agency

Police in Nova Scotia are warning of a phone and email scam where a fraudster purports to be a Canada Revenue Agency representative and pressures the potential victim into paying a non-existent debt.

RCMP say they’ve received a number of complaints. Police say people are being called by someone claiming to be from the tax agency who uses threatening and coercive language.

People are also being emailed a link to a website that looks to be the CRA’s and asked to enter personal information.

Police say the revenue agency will never ask for information about your passport, health card or driver’s licence. It will also never leave personal information on an answering machine, or ask you to do the same.

If you want to confirm a call really is from the CRA, call them using a number listed on their website.

Police say you should also 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 or telephone number?
• Am I confident I know who is asking for the information?
• Is there a reason that the CRA may be calling? Do I have a tax balance outstanding?