The Canada Revenue Agency is warning of a rise in scams that take advantage of the confusion related to COVID-19 relief measures.
“With the launch of (Emergency Response Benefit – CERB), we have seen scammers seek to prey on Canadians’ anxieties during this time of crisis,” said CRA spokesperson Etienne Biram. “For example, we have identified websites that have attempted to spoof the CERB application website and scammers contacting Canadians by text message or other means.”
Canadians can avoid falling victim to such scams by knowing how to identify them. The real CRA never requests personal or banking information by email or phone.
If Canadians receive a suspicious email claiming to be from the CRA, they should never click on the links provided and delete the email immediately.
The links in these fraudulent emails lead to fake websites that emulate the official CRA site. In many cases, the sites demand things like passport numbers, social insurance numbers, credit cards, banking information, and other personal information that the user ostensibly needs to provide in order to receive benefits.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has received 951 reports of COVID-19-related fraud, including 657 reports of phishing emails.
To receive the CERB, Canadians must apply for it themselves, Biram said. The CRA does not contact individuals for this purpose.
“Simply put, any direct communication Canadians receive about applying for the CERB is a scam,” he said.
The CRA is encouraging Canadians to report suspected scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and local police.