Toronto police reissue warnings about CRA telephone scams
'Fraudulent scam perpetrated by criminals' keeps happening, authorities say
Toronto police are warning residents about a telephone scam involving fraudsters posing as governments agents.
Police say that Torontonians are still being targeted by people claiming to work with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), a scenario that's affected local residents in the past.
Scammers contact people by phone, telling them they owe money that must be repaid — or they face getting arrested by the RCMP. In other cases, the callers requested personal information.
Police said the callers are also asking victims to go to a nearby post office to send their money to a Connecticut address using MoneyGram, a money transferring network.
"The Toronto Police Service would like to remind the public that the CRA does not contact people by telephone and the CRA never arrests anyone for outstanding balances owed," the release said. "This is a fraudulent scam perpetrated by criminals."
In June, police had a similar warning for residents, saying that callers were identifying themselves as police officers, CRA staff or federal agents.
If you receive a call you suspect to be a phone scam, write down the number and never reveal any personal information, police advise.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of this scam is being asked to call police at 416-808-2200.