It is that dreaded time of year when taxes are filed and officers from the Trail RCMP Crime Prevention Office (CPO) want ratepayers to be on the lookout for tax scams.
Police are warning people in the area to steer clear of emails that look like they are from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) and especially don’t open attachments or click links within the email.
The CRA does not contact taxpayers through email and wouldn’t request information they should already have.
“Typically, these messages advise the recipient that they have qualified for a tax refund and need to click a link to enter their information,” wrote Gordon Sims from the CPO in Trail. “The link takes the person to a bogus website and requires the visitor to enter personal identification.”
Sims also wants those who do their taxes online to be careful and guard against identity theft.
“If you are doing your own taxes online, don’t use a public wireless connection,” he wrote. “Even the latest wireless security encryption standards can be risky, so use a wired connection..”
Anyone with questions regarding the CRA should call 1-800-959-8281 to verify the request.