MHPS warn public of Canada Revenue Agency scam
By Peggy Revell on September 1, 2017.
Medicine Hat News The Medicine Hat Police Service is warning the public after receiving complaints of a person falsely posing as being from the Canada Revenue Agency, trying to collect a debt. The male caller has been contacting potential victims in the area, police say, trying to convince them to clear up the debt by sending money or gift cards. These so-called “CRA scams” began emerging in 2013, and have since become a popular tool for defrauding people over the phone or by email, police say, while pushback from the victim is usually met with immediate threats of calling the police, sending Canada Revenue Agency employees to the door, blacklisting a social insurance number, or even jail time. The hope is the victim will be frightened into complying. Police are reminding the public that the CRA will never threaten someone with immediate arrest or prison sentence, ask for passport/healthcard/drivers licence info, request personal info by email, email a link requesting you fill out an online form with personal or financial details, send you a link to your refund by email or text, set up an in-person meeting in a public place to take a payment, or demand immediate payment by prepaid credit card. If you believe you have been the victim of a CRA scam, contact the MHPS at 403-529-8481 or attend the MHPS in person at 884 2nd Street SE to speak to an officer. 8-7
