How to protect yourself against fraud

Jan. 17, 2024

Global Korean Post

There are many fraud types, including new ones invented daily.

Taxpayers should be vigilant when they receive, either by telephone, mail, text message or email, a fraudulent communication that claims to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requesting personal information such as a social insurance number, credit card number, bank account number, or passport number.

These scams may insist that this personal information is needed so that the taxpayer can receive a refund or a benefit payment. Cases of fraudulent communication could also involve threatening or coercive language to scare individuals into paying fictitious debt to the CRA.

Other communications urge taxpayers to visit a fake CRA website where the taxpayer is then asked to verify their identity by entering personal information. These are scams and taxpayers should never respond to these fraudulent communications or click on any of the links provided.

To report a scam, call the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre 1-888-495-8501.

How to protect yourself from identity theft

Never provide personal information through the Internet or by email. The CRA does not ask you to provide personal information by email.
Be suspicious if you are ever asked to pay taxes or fees to the CRA on lottery or sweepstakes winnings. You do not have to pay taxes or fees on these types of winnings. These requests are scams.
Keep your access codes, user ID, passwords, and PINs secret.
Keep your address current with all government departments and agencies.
Choose your tax preparer carefully! Make sure you choose someone you trust and check their references. Always review your return, agree with the content before filing, and follow up to make sure you receive your notice of assessment, since it contains important financial and personal information that belongs to you.
Monitor your tax accounts by registering for My Account or My Business Account. Once registered, sign up for email notifications (account alerts), which will notify you of changes made to your accounts (e.g. change in address or direct deposit information) or if paper mail from the CRA was returned.
Before supporting any charity, use the CRA website to find out if the charity is registered and get more information on the way it does business.
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 the link.
Caller ID is a useful function. However, the information displayed can be altered by criminals. Never use only the displayed information to confirm the identity of the caller whether it be an individual, a company or a government entity.
Protect your social insurance number. Don’t use it as a piece of ID and never reveal it to anyone unless you are certain the person asking for it is legally entitled to that information. If an organization asks for your social insurance number, ask if it is legally required to collect it, and if not, offer other forms of ID.
Pay attention to your billing cycle and ask about any missing account statements or suspicious transactions.
Shred unwanted documents or store them in a secure place. Make sure that documents with your name and SIN are secure.
Immediately report lost or stolen credit or debit cards.
Carry only the ID you need.
Do not write down any passwords or carry them with you.
Ask a trusted neighbour to pick up your mail when you are away or ask that a hold be placed on delivery.