{"id":119125,"date":"2021-03-24T08:22:47","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T15:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"\/blogs\/?p=119125"},"modified":"2025-08-12T00:29:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T07:29:47","slug":"tax-season-is-here-avoid-these-common-scams-targeting-canadians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/tax-season-is-here-avoid-these-common-scams-targeting-canadians\/","title":{"rendered":"Tax Season is Here: Avoid These Common Scams Targeting Canadians \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Tax Season is Here: Avoid These Common Scams Targeting Canadians <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Tax return preparation might be a little more complicated this year than usual for many Canadians with millions receiving Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) payments and\u00a0about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/business\/opinion\/2020\/05\/09\/statcan-says-13-of-canadians-arent-working-but-the-true-number-is-more-like-30.html\">40% of the Canadian labor force<\/a>\u00a0turned\u00a0to self-employment options to\u00a0help them financially\u00a0weather the\u00a0pandemic\u00a0storm.<\/p>\n<p>Where there\u2019s money and uncertainty,\u00a0you\u2019re likely to\u00a0find scammers. After all, scammers\u00a0tend to\u00a0capitalize on\u00a0uncertainty\u00a0and use it\u00a0as the entry point for their attacks.\u00a0Whether it\u2019s\u00a0through\u00a0a phishing email\u00a0with a phony notice of reassessment,\u00a0a\u00a0text message\u00a0threatening arrest,\u00a0or a\u00a0fake\u00a0phone call\u00a0from the\u00a0Canada Revenue Agency\u00a0(CRA),\u00a0hackers often\u00a0employ\u00a0elements of fear in their attacks.\u00a0McAfee\u2019s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset study revealed that roughly 2 out of 3 Canadians (65%) plan to\u00a0do\u00a0their taxes online in 2021, with 12% of them doing so for the first time. With the increase in activities online, consumers are potentially exposed to more digital risks and\u00a0threats, and\u00a0knowing how these hackers tend to work doesn\u2019t mean you have to live in fear.\u00a0To help you identify and avoid potential threats, let\u2019s\u00a0take a look\u00a0at some of the most common scams\u00a0that hackers use during\u00a0tax\u00a0season.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Phone scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Phone scams take one of two primary forms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Robocalls \u2013\u00a0Pre-recorded message by a person or a voice-to-speech app that allows\u00a0scammers\u00a0to reach thousands of potential victims. The message may direct the recipient to call a number or visit a site that will attempt to steal their personal or financial information. In some cases, it may direct them to a\u00a0phony\u00a0call center that will try to collect payment for a bogus debt.<\/li>\n<li>Imposter calls \u2013\u00a0This occurs when a\u00a0person posing as a CRA representative falsely claims that\u00a0you owe money and\u00a0demands that you\u00a0make\u00a0immediate\u00a0payment.\u00a0Scammers can take various approaches here, such as threatening arrest or license revocation.\u00a0It\u2019s important to note that the CRA will never resort to these tactics even if there is an issue with your tax return.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some\u00a0sophisticated\u00a0scammers will\u00a0weave stolen\u00a0personal or financial\u00a0data that they\u00a0purchased\u00a0on the dark web\u00a0into\u00a0their\u00a0calls, such as\u00a0bank or social insurance information.\u00a0They intend to make their phony claims sound legitimate,\u00a0hoping that\u00a0an unsuspecting user will hand over their data or make a fraudulent payment.<\/p>\n<p>So,\u00a0what\u00a0does a real call from\u00a0the CRA\u00a0entail?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/revenue-agency\/news\/newsroom\/tax-tips\/tax-tips-2020\/dont-get-scammed.html\">The\u00a0CRA clearly outlines the reasons\u00a0<u>they\u2019d be calling\u00a0on their\u00a02020 Tax Tips page<\/u><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ways that you can follow up with the CRA to\u00a0determine\u00a0if a call is legitimate.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Email phishing scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>There are two instances where the CRA may contact you by email. One is during a telephone call or meeting with a legitimate CRA agent.\u00a0The second is to send you a notification that you have a message or document for your review on a secure CRA site such as\u00a0My Account, My Business Account, or Represent a Client. Anything else\u00a0is\u00a0likely a scam.<\/p>\n<p>The one time where the CRA will send you an email containing links is\u00a0if you have\u00a0a call or meeting with an agent, as outlined above. Otherwise, you can be confident\u00a0that an email with links is\u00a0a scam.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Text and instant message scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This one is relatively straightforward: the CRA will\u00a0<em>never\u00a0<\/em>contact you via text, instant messaging, Facebook, WhatsApp, or any similar messaging service. If you receive such a message, delete it, and don\u2019t click on any links embedded within it.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Tax payment scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In many cases, hackers will aim to separate you from your money by demanding immediate payment in some form or other.\u00a0They may request payment in pre-loaded debit cards, gift cards, e-transfer, or even bitcoin. Know that the CRA will never request payment in any of those forms.<\/p>\n<p>When in doubt, ask yourself why this email or phone caller is demanding that you act immediately. Have you filed\u00a0on time? Have you received written notice from the CRA already?\u00a0Do you\u00a0owe\u00a0an installment payment?\u00a0 If the person contacting you leaves you unsure, you\u00a0can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/revenue-agency\/news\/newsroom\/tax-tips\/tax-tips-2020\/dont-get-scammed.html\">confirm that the contact was legitimate<\/a>\u00a0by calling the CRA.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stay protected from fraud and theft this tax season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>While recognizing the signs of tax-related fraud can help ease the burdens associated with these schemes, there are multiple steps you can take to prevent becoming a victim of tax scams in the first place.\u00a0Follow these tips to stay on top of your tax return while securing your digital life:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Use password protection as a first line of defense<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Devices benefit from physical security. This is\u00a0as simple as locking your smartphones, tablets, and computers with a PIN or password. Should one of those devices get lost or stolen, a lock\u00a0provides a barrier for those\u00a0who might try\u00a0to\u00a0access your personal and financial information on them.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Use a holistic\u00a0\u00a0security solution<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Protecting your devices with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/consumer\/en-us\/store\/m0\/catalog\/mtp_521\/mcafee-total-protection.html\">comprehensive security software<\/a>\u202fcan help block the\u00a0phishing emails and suspicious links that make up many of these tax attacks. Likewise, it can further\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/consumer\/consumer-threat-notices\/ransomware-data-breach-5-tips-to-stay-secure\/?hilite=%27ransomware%27\">protect you from ransomware attacks<\/a>, another type of tax scam on the rise, where crooks hold your data hostage for a price.\u00a0All in all, security software is always a smart move\u2014tax time or any time.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Dispose of your old technology and data securely<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Consider what\u2019s on\u00a0your\u00a0old\u00a0computer\u00a0hard drive or stored away on your phone.\u00a0Old devices tend to\u00a0contain loads of precious personal and financial information. Look into the e-waste disposal options in your community that will recycle your old technology and do so securely.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Look after your physical security as well<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>While so\u00a0many\u00a0of our finances are handled electronically today (taxes included), we\u2019d be remiss if we didn\u2019t talk about physical security as well. Mail and porch theft still occur, which is one more way\u00a0a thief\u00a0can steal your personal and financial information\u00a0to\u00a0use in a scam.\u00a0A\u00a0locking mailbox is a purchase you may want to consider if you don\u2019t have one already.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Think you\u2019ve been a victim of a tax scam or identity theft?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Recognizing the signs of tax-related fraud could allow you to\u00a0take action\u00a0and significantly suppress the repercussions. If you suspect you\u2019ve fallen victim to fraud or\u00a0believe that you\u2019ve been tricked into giving away personal information as part of a scam, contact your local police service and make a report.<\/p>\n<p>By staying proactive and vigilant, you\u2019ll be in a better position to protect your identity and your data\u2014and live your digital life with\u00a0safety at the forefront.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Stay Updated\u202f<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To stay updated on all things\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/index.html\">McAfee<\/a>\u202fand on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/McAfee_Home\">@McAfee_Home\u202f<\/a>\u202fon Twitter, subscribe to\u00a0our\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/consumer\/en-us\/landing-page\/direct\/dr\/social\/generic\/newsletter.html?csrc=social&amp;csrcl2=blog&amp;cctype=newsletter_signup&amp;ccstype=&amp;ccoe=direct&amp;ccoel2=dr&amp;pkg_id=521&amp;affid=0\">email<\/a>, listen to our podcast\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/geo.itunes.apple.com\/podcast\/us\/id1257232208?mt=2&amp;at=1010lbVy&amp;ct=mcafeehackable_GaryBlog_EndBlurb\">Hackable?<\/a>, and \u2018Like\u2019 us on\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\">Facebook.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tax Season is Here: Avoid These Common Scams Targeting Canadians Tax return preparation might be a little more complicated this&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":119137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,10661,13],"tags":[7303,5433],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-119125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-internet-security","category-privacy-identity-protection","tag-cerb-payment","tag-tax-scams"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Tax Season is Here: Avoid These Common Scams Targeting Canadians \u00a0 | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tax Season is Here: Avoid These Common Scams Targeting Canadians Tax return preparation might be a little more complicated this year than usual for many\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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