SASKATCHEWAN — The Canada Revenue Agency is reminding the public about the prevalence of scams during income tax season.
CRA spokesperson Nelson Ramos told SaskToday that with technology evolving and artificial intelligence (AI) becoming more accessible, scams are becoming more difficult to identify.
“Even amateur scammers can pretend to be from the CRA more convincingly through letters and emails and websites. AI can allow people to create scams faster and at larger scales, and they target everyone,” said Ramos.
Scams can still be avoided using the ways people know by practicing what he called “good cyber hygiene”. Ramos suggested people should treat their CRA password like they do a toothbrush – don't share it, and don’t use the password for other websites or accounts, because that could lead to the password being compromised.
“If you think that your CRA password is compromised in that way, then it’s a good time to change it, but just like a toothbrush, you should be regularly checking that password," he said.
Information can be compromised as quick as a click, he said, so the best way to avoid the problem is to type out the full address of the CRA website, as opposed to clicking on the convenient link, because it’s very easy to fake a link to make it look legitimate.
On the CRA website, people can find more information on current scams and frauds, and they can register for an online CRA account.
“Staying on top of that tax situation is going to put you ahead of scammers, because you are going to know if you owe money or if you are getting a refund. Being in that know and having that knowledge year-round … is going to help people avoid these scams."
People can also sign up for digital notifications in case somebody tries to change their address or direct deposit information.
Ramos said it’s important to keep the CRA updated of direct deposit information so that the details go to the right places.
“If people do not have an account with the CRA, the website also teaches you new ways to recognize scams,” said Ramos.
Lots of scam websites claiming to be the CRA exist, he said, so it’s important to go to the source.
“It’s very hard to discern what’s real and what isn’t, but if you go to that legitimate source, you’ll feel safe knowing it is the right resource to go to,” said Ramos.
If a CRA account is compromised, Ramos encourages people to reach out to the agency so the account can be secured again. They should also reach out to their financial institution(s) with the compromised account, the local police agency and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, because he said only five to 10 per cent of scams are reported.
“It’s important that people help other people become aware of these scams," he said.
The CRA is not going to demand payments by e-transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid credit cards or gift cards. It’s not going to threaten to deport, arrest or incarcerate people. Nor will it use aggressive or threatening language.
“There’s no shame in being scammed. The only shame is that scammers exist. So please don’t let pride stop you from reaching out to someone that you trust for support. People are worth more than what they may have lost," Ramos said.
