CRA scam calls: how to spot a fake Canada Revenue Agency call
Quick answer
A call, text or email that says it's the CRA and threatens arrest or demands payment in gift cards, Bitcoin or prepaid cards is a scam. The CRA doesn't do that. Hang up, then check the number with the CRA's own verification page and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Text, Email
- Pretends to be
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
- Last updated
How it works
Scammers pretend to be the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the federal tax agency. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the CRA both describe the same pattern.
The call usually comes out of nowhere. Caller ID can be spoofed to show the CRA's name or number, and the caller gives an agent name and sounds official. They say you owe back taxes, your SIN has been flagged, or a warrant is out for you. Some read out your SIN or address to sound convincing.
Then comes the pressure: pay now or be arrested, deported or have your assets frozen. They ask for payment the CRA says it doesn't accept, such as gift cards, prepaid cards or cryptocurrency, or for personal details you wouldn't put on a tax return, such as a credit card number. Texts and emails do the same job with a link to a fake refund or login page.
What they want is money, or your SIN and banking details for identity theft.
Red flags
- Threats of arrest, jail or deportation over unpaid taxes
- Demand for payment in gift cards, prepaid cards or Bitcoin
- Pressure to pay or act immediately
- A text or email with a link to claim a refund
- Questions about information that doesn't belong on a tax return, like a credit card number
- Caller ID that shows the CRA: it can be faked
Example message
This is Agent [name] from the Canada Revenue Agency. There is a serious issue with your SIN and a warrant has been issued over unpaid taxes. To avoid arrest today you must pay immediately. Call [phone number] right away.
What to do
- 1
Hang up and don't call back
Don't use the number the caller gave you or press redial. If you want to check, look up the CRA's contact page yourself, or use the CRA's tool for verifying a phone number on canada.ca.
- 2
Don't click or reply
If it came by text or email, don't open the link or reply. The CRA says it doesn't text refund links.
- 3
If you paid
Call your bank or card company right away and tell them it was fraud. Keep receipts and any gift card numbers.
- 4
If you gave your SIN or banking details
Contact your bank and the credit bureaus (Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada) about a fraud alert, change passwords on accounts you mentioned, and tell local police.
- 5
Report it
File a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, even if you didn't lose money. It helps them track the calls.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers who open with your name, SIN or address sound far more convincing. That kind of detail is easy to buy or look up on people-search sites and turns up in data breaches. Serus finds the data brokers that list you and removes your details, and alerts you when your information shows up in a breach, so fewer scammers can build a script around you. See our guide to data brokers.
More Canada Revenue Agency scams
Frequently asked
Does the CRA call people and threaten arrest?
No. The CRA says it doesn't threaten arrest or jail over unpaid taxes, and it doesn't accept gift cards, prepaid cards or Bitcoin as payment.
The caller ID said CRA. Is it real?
Not necessarily. Scammers can spoof caller ID. Hang up and check the number through the CRA's own verification page.
Will the CRA text me a refund link?
The CRA says it won't text you a link or message about your refund.
I already paid. What now?
Call your bank or card issuer immediately, then report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your local police.
Sources
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