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RCMP inundated with tax scam complaints

Penticton RCMP received 20 complaints about the scam in one day
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Penticton RCMP are being inundated with Canada Revenue Agency scams complaints.

Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth said on Wednesday they received 20 calls from area residents.

“I want to remind the public that the Canada Revenue Agency does not call demanding payment and they do not threaten people. If someone calls identifying themselves as representing the CRA just hang up,” said Wrigglesworth. “Also, these calls do not need to be reported to the RCMP as it is stretching our resources when it comes to dealing with other matters. If you have hung up the phone, and not provided any information, then there is nothing to worry about. However, if you have been the victim of an actual fraud then please report that.”

RCMP said it appears the calls are originating from an area code in India, but some calls are utilizing a transfer service that identifies a North American source.

The Canada Revenue Agency warns that if you receive a suspicious call, email, letter or text message that is asking for personal information such as your social insurance number, credit card number, bank account number or passport number that it is a scam. The CRA will never send an unsolicited email with a link and ask for a person to divulge personal or financial information. They also will not ask for that information via tex message or leave any of your personal information on an answering machine. The CRA will not ask to be paid by prepaid credit cards or gift cards.