The Toronto Police Service would like to warn the public about an ongoing scam involving fraudulent telephone communications, purportedly coming from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), police officers, and/or federal agents. Several different law enforcement or government titles have been used.
There have been several reports across the GTA of a telephone caller identifying themselves as a police officer, Canada Revenue Agent or a federal agent.
Residents have received phone calls claiming that the recipient owes money. They are told to pay immediately or be arrested and charged. These fraudulent phone calls instruct the recipients to provide personal information.
The CRA will never request information by telephone. The public is urged to visit the CRA website to determine exactly how they communicate with their clients.
If anyone does receive this type of fraudulent phone call, they are encouraged to take the following steps to protect themselves from fraud:
- do not comply and contact the appropriate agency office to verify the information. Contact them, directly, with the number listed in the phone book. Do not call the number provided by the caller
- write down the number which appears on telephone call display or the number the caller provides
- do not provide personal information over the telephone
- contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and report the incident.
- restitution is awarded through courts; police do not request or demand money
- be cautious of who you are dealing with on the phone
- do not provide PINs to people you do not know
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.
There have been several reports across the GTA of a telephone caller identifying themselves as a police officer, Canada Revenue Agent or a federal agent.
Residents have received phone calls claiming that the recipient owes money. They are told to pay immediately or be arrested and charged. These fraudulent phone calls instruct the recipients to provide personal information.
The CRA will never request information by telephone. The public is urged to visit the CRA website to determine exactly how they communicate with their clients.
If anyone does receive this type of fraudulent phone call, they are encouraged to take the following steps to protect themselves from fraud:
- do not comply and contact the appropriate agency office to verify the information. Contact them, directly, with the number listed in the phone book. Do not call the number provided by the caller
- write down the number which appears on telephone call display or the number the caller provides
- do not provide personal information over the telephone
- contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and report the incident.
- restitution is awarded through courts; police do not request or demand money
- be cautious of who you are dealing with on the phone
- do not provide PINs to people you do not know
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.