RCMP are reminding the public of criminals posing as Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees to steal your money.
“Fraudsters will target potential victims by telephone or email, at home or in the workplace,” says Cpl. Mike Rail, spokesperson for the UFVRD.
The con involves a phone call received by a potential victim from a person claiming to be a representative of the CRA. The caller accuses the victim of owing tax and applying pressure for immediate payment. If challenged, the caller becomes aggressive threatening the victim with arrest.
“We are experiencing a rash of such complaints across the Upper Fraser Valley,” says Rail. “The thieves are convincing but we remind everyone, CRA officials do not demand personal information, payment by pre-approved credit card [or] gift card, or threaten arrest over the phone.”
Tips to protect yourself from tax fraud:
* Hang up the phone;
 * Speak to a relative or someone you can trust before making any payment;
 * Confirm a CRA agent contacted you by calling the CRA at 1-800-959-8281 for individual concerns or 1-800-959-5525 for business-related calls.
To learn more on how to protect yourself from fraud, visit online by clicking bcrcmp or CRA.
