Scammers posing as Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees continue to contact Canadians, misleading them into paying false debts. These persistent scammers have created fear among people who now automatically assume that any communication from someone representing the CRA is not genuine. This article will remind Canadians that the CRA does indeed contact taxpayers by phone, email and mail for legitimate reasons. The following tips will help Canadians identify legitimate communications from the CRA.

To identify legitimate communications from the CRA, be aware of these guidelines and know what to expect when the CRA contacts you. The guidelines cover:

• Communication by phone;
• Notification by email;
• Letters received in the mail;
• Text messages/instant messaging, and;
• Requests to pay an amount you owe through any of the CRA’s payment options.

More information on tax scams and fraud can be found at canada.ca/taxes-fraud-prevention.

For more information on this topic, please contact your McCay Duff advisor.