Police have received several complaints of various ‘phishing’ scams recently and are warning the public to take a few precautions in order to protect their personal and financial information.
Over the past couple of days, the Kelowna RCMP have received reports of the ‘Canada Revenue Scam’. These scams are specifically designed to target your personal or financial information in order to take your hard-earned money.
The ‘Canada Revenue Scam’ begins with a cold-call, email or letter fraudulently claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The scam asks you to verify your personal information, such as a social insurance, credit card, bank account, and passport numbers, in order to receive a refund or benefit payment. Providing your personal information will not get you a refund or payment and will only serve to compromise your credit.
For further information on the ‘Canada Revenue Scam’, please go the CRA website at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ntcs/bwr-eng.html
For more information on phishing and other frauds and scams, please go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca