It’s the most wonderful time of the year, tax season in Canada! For most individuals, personal tax returns are due on April 30th (actually, May 1st this year, since April 30th falls on a Sunday). This can be a stressful time for many people – indeed, it’s a big task to sum up an entire year in number form!
Unfortunately, stressful situations are feeding grounds for scammers. And tax time stress brings out a particular type of scammer – the fake Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) agent. You may receive calls, emails, even texts from those claiming to be CRA reps.
Now of course, from time-to-time CRA does legitimately try to contact taxpayers. So how can you tell the scammers from the real agents? There are several ‘tells’ to look for, and CRA has done a decent job listing them out in a recent explainer titled: Not sure if it’s the CRA calling? Here’s how to find out! They have also put out a number of videos titled: Be Scam Smart. Finally, this CRA website, while a bit overwhelming, has a ton of information on Scams and Fraud.
Finally, it’s always OK to tell a CRA agent that you have authorized your accountant to speak on your behalf. Take down their name and number and let them know that your accountant will get back to them. If it’s CRA, they will understand. If they pressure you to stay on the phone, it is most definitely a scam.
