While people need to be on guard against fraudsters throughout the year, the spring is a prime time for many fraudsters who purport to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or similar organizations.
The Westlock RCMP in Northern Alberta sent out a release last week providing some tips on how to avoid fraud. They are as follows:
- Secure your online information and passwords: Your financial information should be locked at all times, even if your cell phone has a password.
- If you suspect someone has used your banking card, immediately use your banking App to lock the card until you contact your bank, or learn that that the transaction was yours that you made. If you don't have an App call the number on your bank card to have your bank assist you.
- If someone calls you claiming to be a bank, the CRA, RCMP, your favourite business or a client you regularly speak with, but do not recognize their voice or their name, do not provide them with any personal information. Instead, immediately hang up and call them back at a trusted number you know or physically visit the location yourself and speak to them in person about the phone call you had.
- Federal, Provincial and Local governments DO NOT take payment in gift cards, iTunes, Amazon, BitCoin, etc. The government will only ask for payment in the form of Canadian currency.
