Tag: tax scams

INCOME TAX SCAMS IN CANADA: HOW NOT TO BE DECEIVED

Post author By Brandon Smith
Post date February 6, 2017

Tax scams in Canada: Introduction

We’re approaching tax season and income tax scams in Canada are rampant. It’s more than just the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that wants your money. Income tax scams in Canada are big business and it seems that every day there’s a new scam designed to fool you into giving up your information and ultimately your money. Don’t let your guard down because these fraudsters are good.

We regularly warn our readers about scams in blogs such as:

Tax scams in Canada: How to recognize a rip-off

If you receive any sort of communication from the CRA – telephone, mail, email, text message – requesting personal information such as your social insurance number, credit card information, bank account number or passport number, it’s a scam. The CRA will never:

ask for personal information of any kind by email or text message
request payments by prepaid credit cards
give taxpayer information to another person, unless you give formal authorization
leave personal information on an answering machine
send email with a link and ask you to divulge personal or financial information (There is one exception: If you call the CRA to ask for a form or a link for specific information, a CRA agent will send an email containing links)

Tax scams in Canada: How to protect yourself

Never give out personal information via the email, text, voice mail or Internet
Guard your passwords, IDs, PINs and access codes
Do your due diligence when selecting a tax preparer. Preferably get a referral from a trusted source
Shred unwanted documents

Tax scams in Canada: What to do if you’re a victim

Many people don’t report these types of crimes because they’re ashamed. Don’t be! If you suspect you may be the victim of fraud or tricked into giving personal or financial information, contact your local police service.

Tax scams in Canada: Are you experiencing financial hardship?

People land in financial hardship for many reasons. If you’re experiencing financial hardship and are looking for a way out, contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. With immediate action and the right plan for moving forward we can set you on a path to debt free living Starting Over, Starting Now. All it takes is one phone call.

credit karma canada

Tags : tax scams in canada, Canada Revenue Agency, CRA, income tax scam, income tax scams, Ira Smith Trustee, tax scam, tax scams, tax scams canada

Brandon Blog Post

#VIDEO-TOP CONSUMER SCAMS TO WATCH FOR IN 2017#

Post author By Brandon Smith
Post date January 18, 2017

This video is courtesy of ABC News. References to IRS can be replaced with CRA. The top consumer scams to watch for in 2017 will know no geographical boundaries.

Top Consumer Scams To Watch For In 2017: Introduction

Consumer experts are already predicting the rip-offs and top consumer scams to watch for in 2017. Our video and blog shows you what new scams to watch out for this year or new twists put on some old scams tricking you out of your money.

Top Consumer Scams To Watch For In 2017: The IRS/CRA Scam

Polk county resident Sherry Gordy fell for the number one rip off in the United States. They said they were with the IRS and that I owed $2,773.00 dollars in back taxes. So far the IRS scheme cost Sherry and thousands of other Americans more than $30 million dollars.

Most now know that the IRS and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will issue a statement showing the amount of tax owing, by year, but will never first contact a taxpayer by calling on the telephone. So this year, look for phony letters notifying people they owe taxes. I just can’t believe people still fall for this scam. It may be the biggest scams to watch for in 2017.

Top Consumer Scams To Watch For In 2017: The Computer Virus and Jury Duty Scams

Consumer experts predict that bogus notices involving a virus on your computer and missing jury duty will make the rounds this year.

The computer virus scam is not a new one, but people fall for it. This is how it works. You receive a phone call from someone pretending to be from your internet service provider, advising you that they have noticed irregular traffic, irregular internet connectivity and a potential virus from your computer. They ask you to go to your computer, put in certain keystrokes, and “test” your internet service by providing key details of your computer and its passwords. People who fall for this don’t realize that the scammers are asking you for your IP address, and then passwords, so that they can after the call hack your system and use your passwords for their criminal activities such as hacking bank accounts or stealing your identity.

The jury duty notice trick, sent mainly to business owners, will make the rounds in 2017. This is how this scam works. The business owner receives an official looking notice using a lot of legal terms. The warrant advises that you failed to show up for the jury duty selection. The scammers hope that the business owner thinks that they must have misplaced the original jury duty notice, which of course, was never sent.

The warrant goes on to say that the person can avoid further fines and prosecution, by paying a certain amount of money now. People are paying and of course it’s a scam.

Top Consumer Scams To Watch For In 2017: What Do Consumer Protection Experts Advise?

Consumer protection experts recommend that anytime you’re hit with an unsolicited call, email or letter, look up the real number for the agency they claim to be with. Then call the real agency to find if what you received was a real communication or a bogus one.

Consumer protection experts also recommend that if you are online checking your bank accounts, or other sites that contain your personal information or money, make sure you have plugged in the right web address. The bad guys have purchased domain names with common typos and have made them look like the real websites they are impersonating. They have done so with the hopes that you’ll accidentally put in your login information and they’ll gain access to your account.

Also be on the lookout for smarter phishing scams. The bogus emails that look like</font> they’re coming from your bank credit card or utility company. Instead of clicking on the link, open a new browser and go directly to the real website.

Top Consumer Scams To Watch For In 2017: Been Scammed and Now Can’t Pay Your Bills?

There are many scammers who think nothing of bilking innocent people out of their money. In extreme cases, you might be left without enough money to pay your bills. Your debts are now too much for you to handle, and you will never be able to recoup the money you have lost.

If you have too much debt, for whatever reason, contact the Ira Smith Team. We will give you a free consultation, where we will discuss your problems, treat you with the respect that you deserve, and create a plan for you, often to avoid bankruptcy, and regain a stress free life, Starting Over, Staring Now.

scams concord

Tags avoid banruptcy, avoid tax scams, avoiding bankruptcy, canada revenue agency phone scam, canada revenue agency scam, CRA, CRA scam, how to avoid tax scams, Ira Smith Trustee, irs, phishing scams, tax scams, top consumer scams to watch for in 2017, top scams to watch for 2017, top scams to watch out for in 2017

Brandon Blog Post

#VIDEO – TAX FRAUD PHONE CALLS ARE YOUR WORST ENEMY. 1 SECRET TECHNIQUE TO ALWAYS DEFEAT THEM#

Post author By Brandon Smith
Post date May 18, 2016

Our previous blogs on tax fraud phone calls and similar scams

We have before written about tax fraud phone calls. These are scams perpetrated by criminals purporting to represent Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Our previous blogs are:

People are falling for the tax fraud phone calls all the time

These scams have also been well reported in the press. CRA estimates that losses from these scams are in the millions of dollars. CRA and the Canadian police forces estimate that the scam has worked on 9 in 10 Canadians.

How many types of scams are there?

CRA advises that there are many known scams, pitches and fraud types with new ones invented daily. The more common ones are:

Telemarketing/tax fraud phone calls scams
Online scams
Email scams
Identity theft
Business scams
Mail scams

How do these scams work?

They all involve posing as a CRA. CRA advises you should be wary of phishing scams asking for personal private information. The CRA would never ask for this type of information.

Some of these scams ask for this personal information. Others refer you to a website resembling the CRA’s. At the website, you are prompted to confirm your identity by entering personal information. You should not click on links included in these emails. Email scams may also contain embedded malicious software that can harm your computer. The software can also send them your sensitive personal information which you enter online.

The latest, and most aggressive scam works something like this. Often, people are getting calls to their home by someone claiming to be a CRA agent. They notify the resident of some bogus tax arrears amount. They then say they are about to be taken to court or police are about to come to their door to arrest them.

A fake tax agent has even shown up at homes demanding payment as part of the scam. It used to be the scam was only done over the phone or computer. Now the thieves are getting more brazen. They are enlisting the services of confederates to show up at your home!

More information about the types of tax scams can be found at some of the following sources:

Protect yourself against tax fraud phone calls – Agence du revenu du Canada www.cra-arc.gc.ca › Home › Security Apr 5, 2016 – Informing yourself is the best protection against fraud. … If you receive a call saying you owe money to the CRA, you can call us or check My … Is the requester asking for information I would not provide in my tax return? Is the …
Beware of new tax fraud phone calls scams – Agence du revenu du Canada www.cra-arc.gc.ca › Home › Newsroom › Alert Jun 10, 2015 – Victims receive a phone call from a person claiming to work for the … If you get such a call, hang up and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. … and businesses have in the CRA is a cornerstone of Canada’s tax system.
Tax season brings more tax fraud phone calls on CRA tax scam | CTV Ottawa News ottawa.ctvnews.ca/tax-season-brings-more-calls-on-cra-tax-scam- 2804420 Mar 4, 2016 – It was an automated call, accusing him of tax fraud and requesting him to phone a 6-1-3 number back immediately or “face the consequences.”.
Canada Revenue Agency warning of aggressive tax scam, millions … www.citynews.ca/…/canada-revenue-agency-warning-of-aggressive- tax-s…Feb 4, 2016 – “A lot of it has to do with tax fraud phone calls and demanding immediate payment, threatening arrest, threatening jail, using really aggressive language …
Tax Fraud Phone Calls and Tax Scams | TurboTax Canada https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tax-resources/tax…/tax-fraud-and-tax-scams.jsp Taxpayers who knowingly engage in tax fraud and tax scams face fines, penalties … Unsolic Phone fraud – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_fraud Communications fraud is the use of telecommunications products or services without intention … A variant is a call forwarding scam, where a fraudster tricks a subscriber into …. monopoly and/or excessive taxation of inbound overseas calls.

Here is the 1 simple secret technique to protect yourself from tax fraud phone calls and similar scams

There is 1 simple secret technique though that most people do not know about. Knowing this will allow you to not fall for the tax fraud phone calls and other tax scams. When you are contacted, do not give out any personal information. Then, either go to your CRA My Account login online or call CRA to check the status of your tax account. You will know that you are dealing with the real CRA and can find out the true status of your tax account. Once you learn that there are no problems with your tax account, then you will not fall prey to the scammers.

Then contact the Canadian anti-fraud centre or phone the CRA fraud phone number. Report the contact the thieves made with you.

What can you do if you have too much debt and now you have been scammed out of the money you were going to use to pay those debts?

Are you insolvent and looking for solutions? The Ira Smith Team is here to offer alternatives to bankruptcy and bankruptcy. We offer the help in Vaughan and throughout the GTA.

Are you an individual or company who feels your situation is hopeless? Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. can prepare and put in place the plan MADE JUST FOR YOU. The plan will free you from the burden of your financial challenges. With our help, you will go on to live a productive, stress-free, financially sound life.

Our motto is Starting Over, Starting Now! Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. can help you overcome your financial difficulties. Contact us today.

THIS VLOG WAS INSPIRED IN PART BY OUR eBOOK – PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY CANADA: Not because you are a dummy, because you need to get your life back on track

Tags Canada Revenue Agency, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, CRA, CRA fraud phone number, Ira Smith Trustee, starting over starting now, tax fraud phone calls, tax scams

Brandon Blog Post

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY SCAMS: IF YOU READ ONE ARTICLE, READ THIS ONE

Post author By Brandon Smith
Post date November 23, 2015

Canada Revenue Agency scams

Canada Revenue Agency, or as it is also known, CRA, has noticed an increase in telephone scams where the caller claims to be from the CRA but is not, and is asking Canadians to beware. There is a CRA newsletter on the issue of Canada Revenue Agency scams and the fake Canada Revenue Agency scammers. These calls are fraudulent and could result in identity and financial theft, or vulnerable people being bullied into making a payment to a bogus Canada Revenue Agency officer. They will try to make you believe that the payment is going to a legitimate CRA account, but it isn’t. There is no such CRA program.

Canda Revenue Agency scams: Anyone is a target

Everyone is at risk of having their identity stolen and it’s easy to be taken in. Most people get a little nervous when they receive a phone call from the CRA; it’s like having a police car driving right behind you even if you’re not doing anything wrong. Recognizing the importance of warning the public about identity theft, we have already published several blogs on the subject:

Canada Revenue Agency scams: It will never happen to me, right?

A recent event prompted us to reach out and let you know that anyone can be a target. Ira Smith of Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. recently received a voicemail at home from someone claiming to be from CRA collections. Being a seasoned, professional trustee and aware of the recent uptick in identity fraud scams, Ira was immediately on guard when the caller asked him to have his SIN number ready for security purposes. Ira Googled the phone number that was left on the voicemail and sure enough, it was a scam.

Click below to listen to the CRA scam voicemail

Canda Revenue Agency scams: Do the RCMP know about this?

According to Corporal Josée Rousseau of the RCMP’s anti-fraud department, police first started seeing the scam two years ago. Callers work from boiler rooms and randomly phone people from purchased calling lists. They tell their victims they’re from Canada Revenue Agency, and they owe money in unpaid taxes. The RCMP also stated the callers are aggressive and often claim they will come to the victim’s house and arrest them if the money is not paid. They say many of the callers speak with a foreign accent and insist the money be paid immediately, either by credit card or via Western Union.

If you get a call from someone claiming to work for the CRA and want to confirm the authenticity of the call contact the CRA at 1-800-959-5525 for business-related calls and 1-800-959-8281 for individual calls. Or you can do as Ira did and Google the number and see what other people are reporting.

Canda Revenue Agency scams: Tips to identify possible scams

Here are some tips from the Canada Revenue Agency to help you identify possible tax scams:

The CRA:

never requests prepaid credit cards;
doesn’t ask for information about your passport, health card, or driver’s license;
does not share your taxpayer information with another person, unless you have provided the appropriate authorization; and
never leaves personal information on your answering machine or asks you to leave a message containing your personal information on an answering machine.

When in doubt, ask yourself the following:

Is there a reason that the CRA may be calling? Do I have a tax balance outstanding?
Is the requester asking for information I would not include on CRA forms with my tax return?
Is the requester asking for information I know the CRA already has on file for me?
How did the requester get my email address or telephone number?
Am I confident I know who is asking for the information?

If you have too much debt you need to take action NOW

Have you been a victim of identity theft or financial theft? If for any reason you’re facing serious financial difficulties, contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. today. We will review your file and take immediate action to get you back on a path towards debt-free living Starting Over, Starting Now.

Brandon Blog Post

VAUGHAN DEBT COUNSELLING ADVISES BEWARE OF TAX SEASON SCAMS

Post author By Brandon Smith
Post date February 24, 2015

When we perform Vaughan debt counselling, we always advise that there is no miracle cure or quick fix when you owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). For a real life example, see our discussion in an earlier blog The Tax Lawyer; Even A High Profile Tax Fighting Lawyer Has To Pay His Income Tax. Unfortunately there is more to worry about than the CRA during tax season. There are scam artists out there just waiting to take your money. Through our Vaughan debt counselling, Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc., we are able to provide some valuable information and advice to help protect you from the villainous forces lurking at the other end of a phone call or email transmission.

In fact, it was through our Vaughan debt counselling that we learned of these scams. Scammers are sending emails and making phone calls, claiming to be the CRA. These communications, asking for information including credit card data, bank account numbers and passwords and passport numbers are designed to steal your identity and/or your money. Email scams frequently contain embedded malicious software that can harm your computer and put your personal information at risk. DO NOT click on any of the links in the emails. Typically an email or telephone scam involves one of these two scenarios.

You have a refund pending from CRA and the communications will go on to instruct the receiver to provide personal information in order to receive the benefit.
You or your company, as a result of an audit, owe “back taxes”. You are advised you have to “pay up” ASAP to avoid a fine or the person is told there is an outstanding arrest warrant which can be avoided if the tax payment is made promptly. In many cases individuals are being told they will be deported if the taxes are not paid right away.

These types of communication are not from the CRA, should be ignored and reported to the RCMP or Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or http://www.antifraudcentre.ca.

The CRA:

NEVER requests information from a taxpayer about a passport, health card or driver’s license.
NEVER divulges taxpayer information to another person unless formal authorization is provided by the taxpayer.
NEVER leaves any personal information on an answering machine or asks taxpayers to leave a message with their personal information on an answering machine.

If you find yourself in financial difficulties as a result of a scam or for any other reason contact Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. We serve the GTA through our Vaughan debt counselling and our other services that are bankruptcy alternatives. We can help get you back on the road to solid financial footing Starting Over, Starting Now. Watch for our next blog when we’ll be discussing the dangers of taking free tax advice.

Tags Bankruptcy, Canada Revenue Agency, CRA, Debt, debt counselling, email scams, phone scams, receiver, starting over starting now, tax scams, trustee, Vaughan, Vaughan debt counselling