Every day, someone in Prince George calls the police to report a fraud.
RCMP say they receive various versions of fraud reports, but the most popular remains the tax fraud scam.
You may have received a call from someone claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) threatening that payment must be made or an arrest warrant will be issued.
Prince George Mounties are again notifying the public that this is not the case.
Fraudsters who impersonate employees of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) want you to either wire the money using a money-wiring company or to purchase cash cards and forward the card numbers and security numbers, as these methods are difficult to trace.
If you do not pay right away, the fraudsters keep calling and are very aggressive.
It’s important to remember that the CRA does not use any of these tactics.
Police note that in legitimate cases where people owe money, there are processes in place to allow payment or dispute long before any warrants are issued and the police are involved and if you are hearing about this alleged debt for the first time, the police will not be coming for you.
If you get these calls or emails and are concerned they are real, contact the CRA before you do anything else.
“Police are asking everyone to make fraud a topic of everyday conversation,” says Cpl. Craig Douglass, spokesperson for the Prince George RCMP in a news release. “Make sure everyone knows what to look for and how to avoid being a victim of fraud.”
The Prince George RCMP have also received reports of similar frauds involving other agencies.
Again, contact the agency first and do not send money.
How to avoid a scam
Here are a few quick tips from the RCMP on how to avoid falling for the CRA scam:
- Do not take immediate action. The government has processes in place to acquire owed money, none of which are immediate.
- Know who you are dealing with. Obtain their contact information and search it on the internet. Often the contact info will be associated to frauds and not the CRA. This is a clear warning that this is not legitimate.
- Hang-up and call the Canada Revenue Service. CRA, like most government agencies, have a toll free phone number in the blue pages of the phone book or from their website,
- Never give your personal information to anyone that calls you over the phone. This is especially the case when an organization such as the Canada Revenue Agency calls and should have all your necessary information already.
- Never agree to wire back funds to the government. Governments do not do business this way.
The CRA scam, is unfortunately not the only scam to be wary of as fraud is a global crime. Remember never to give out your personal information or send money to someone you don't know. Here is another list of frauds you should be aware of so that if you encounter these circumstances, you can quickly identify them as fraud.
Emergency or “grandparent” scam
A popular scam targets grandparents and involves wiring money to loved ones in urgent need of money. The victim receives a phone call and upon answering, they hear “Hi grandma/grandpa, do you know who this is?” The grandparent usually replies with a name and without even realizing it, they just provided the fraud artist with the name of a grandchild. From there, they ask for money to get them out of jail or to cover costs of a car accident or some other variation where they are out of town and need financial help. Usually, there is some sort of request not to tell anyone about the incident. Often the grandparent is so eager to help; they rush down to wire money without checking the story. The victims truly believe they were talking to the family member. Some variations involve a lawyer calling on behalf of the grandchild.
The prize pitch
Consumers receive a call and are told they won a prize or two. The prizes usually include cash or a vehicle. The “winner” must purchase a product or pay the tax in advance to receive their prize. Variations include calls from “customs” representatives wanting you pay the duty on the “prize” as well as a request for a credit card number so that the money can be deposited into your account.
Anti-virus scams
Some frauds involve fraudsters identifying themselves as representatives from software companies stating that your computer is slow or has a virus. Often they request remote access to your computer over the internet. By allowing them access, you open yourself (and your computer) to inherent risks. ‘Keylogger’ or virus programs can be installed and can provide the criminals with sensitive information including user IDs and passwords. Another variation involves cyber-crime investigators stating that your computer has been used to “hack” websites.
Phishing e-mails
Victims receive an e-mail appearing to be from a legitimate business, often a bank or financial institution. The e-mail states that your personal information or account has been compromised and requests you click on a provided internet link. The link leads to a web page where you are requested to enter personal or financial information.
Rental Property scam
Victims have advertised a rental property on a classified ad website. A fraudster from out of town contacts the property owner and rents the property. A cheque is sent in excess of the amount required for rent and deposit. The victim wires the remaining money back to the fraud artist. When the cheque doesn’t clear, the victim is out the money they wired.
Cheque cashing scam
Victims are approached by a person or persons on the street. They request that the victim cash a cheque for them, as they "lost their ID." The victim deposits the check and then withdraws the cash and provides it to the criminal.
Website classified ads
An item is offered for sale on a popular classified website. The buyer agrees to wire money to the seller in advance and never receives the item.
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For more information on fraud and how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud visit the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre online where you can review anti-fraud tips, see the top scams and get the latest fraud alerts.
You can also download the free Little Black Book of Scams, which is a Canadian guide to help protect you against fraud.
