Fredericton Man Bewares ‘CRA’ Scam E-mail

A resident of Fredericton, Tony Short is advising taxpayers regarding a scam that contained e-mails supposing from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), reported cbc.ca on February 21, 2013.

Short claimed that he recently received an e-mail that declared that the agency owed him an overpayment of $274 that he had to deposit a tax refund request, and to permit 9 to 12 business days for the implementation of the request.

Short says a closer look at the message showed basic spelling errors that would not be found in any official government e-mail.

The message also triggers him to click on a link provided in the e-mail designed to provide all personal and information related to banking so that the money could be offered in his account.

Short also claimed that at first sight, the e-mail seems genuine, but then he realized the falsity of the same.

According to the Revenue Agency, Short wanted to gather all his bank details as he had been paying all dues through cheque.

Secondly, his apprehension was much aroused as a refund amount could be sent through a cheque in the e-mail.

According to the CRA, taxpayers generally receive the bill through calls, mails or a communication from Canada Revenue Agency though actually the scene was different. In all these cases, the communication requests for personal details for instance: credit card, bank account, and passport numbers from the taxpayers. These kinds of false communications are in other words called scams or phishing.

However, the CRA's website provides some very important advices like: When one is in doubt, one should try to ask the following questions to clarify themselves like: if he or she is expecting additional money from the CRA? Does this sound too good to be true? If the request also contains questions that should not be otherwise while paying tax return? If the CRA is asking something that the CRA already has filed? How the personal e-mail address is known to the requestor, and last but not the least, if the receiver is confident about the person asking the question.

Nevertheless, even after all these precautions, if one falls prey to such fraudulent activities, it is pertinent that they contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre through e-mail at info@antifraudcentre.ca or call its helpline number.

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» SPAMfighter News - 3/1/2013