Public Safety Alert, Canada Revenue Agency telephone fraud

Public Safety Alert, Canada Revenue Agency telephone fraud

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 - 3:31 PM
52 Division:  416-808-5200

The Toronto Police Service would like to warn the public of telephone scams where fraudsters pose as Canada Revenue Agency agents. Victims have lost thousands of dollars.

It is reported that:

- victims are contacted by suspects identifying themselves as agents from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)

- the victims are advised that they owe the CRA thousands of dollars in back taxes

- the suspects are usually aggressive and will bully the victim into thinking there are immediate repercussions to not paying the owed money immediately

- generally, the suspects threaten the victim with arrest, even having a person pretending to be a Toronto police officer threatening arrest, over the phone

- the suspects direct the victims to stay on the phone while they go to the bank and withdraw money (thousands of dollars)

- the victims are then directed to go to a store where there is a Western Union or MoneyGram, where they are directed to send the money to individuals, not the CRA.

Police would like to make it clear that, although the CRA does contact individuals, there are specific guidelines in place to ensure your personal information is protected. The CRA website lists the following guidelines:

- they never request prepaid credit cards

- they never ask for information about your passport, health card, or driver's licence

- they do not share your taxpayer information with another person, unless you have provided the appropriate authorization

- they never leave personal information on your answering machine or ask you to leave a message containing your personal information on an answering machine

Please visit The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:  www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or do an internet search for : The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for reporting information.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS(8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.


Please download the Toronto Police Service Mobile App for iOS or Android.


For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.



Constable David Hopkinson, Corporate Communications, for Constable Jai Escott, 52 Division Fraud Squad