With tax season upon us, the Better Business Bureau wants to make sure you do fall for any of the various tax scams out there. 

Wes Lafortune, the Communications Specialist with the Better Business Bureau, has some tips when receiving those mind-boggling phone calls from the “Canada Revenue Agency” (CRA). 

Lafortune says it’s important to remember what sort of things the CRA will not do: 

  • Demand immediate payment by Interac e-transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid credit cards, or gift cards 

  • Ask for a fee to speak with a contact center agent 

  • Use aggressive language or threaten you with an arrest or the police 

  • Leave voicemails that are threatening 

Important steps Lafortune says are key to protecting yourself from a tax scam: 

  • Never provide personal information through the internet or by email. 

  • Keep your access codes, user IDs, passwords, and PINs secret and use a unique password for each account. 

  • Choose your tax preparer carefully. Make sure you choose someone you trust and check their references. 

  • Be careful before you click on links in any email you receive. Some criminals may be using a technique known as phishing to steal your personal information when you click on a link. 

“What's happened in the past to newcomers to Canada is they could be afraid of a government agent calling. They're playing on that fear and they'll ask for the money to be paid in cryptocurrency or by a gift card. The CRA does not accept cryptocurrency as payment or gift cards.” says Lafortune. 

Choosing not to engage with a scammer and hanging up the phone is the best course of action when you suspect a scammer. Lafortune says if the CRA needs to contact you, they will usually do it by letter with a phone number to call them back at. 

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