CRA Alert: Don’t be fooled by unsolicited e-mails or phone calls!

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is warning the public to beware of a number of scams in which individuals falsely identify themselves as officials from the CRA or the Department of Finance Canada. The scams are circulating by both e-mail and telephone.

According to the CRA website, "There are many versions of the scam, but the general concept remains the same: the victim receives an unsolicited phone call from an individual claiming to be a government official or an e-mail from a legitimate-sounding generic e-mail account that appears to come from a government organization." The individual asks the victim to send money in order to receive a lottery winning or tax refund.

The CRA reminds Canadians, "Do not, under any circumstances, respond to any unsolicited e-mail or telephone call asking you for money or confidential banking information. Instead, immediately contact your local police department or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

For more information on these e-mail and telephone scams, and for tips on avoiding being a victim of these scams, please see the CRA website at:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/newsroom/alerts/2007/a070104-e.html