The West Parry Sound OPP is reminding residents to be on the lookout for fraud.
March is Fraud Awareness Month. The OPP says people need to be especially on guard this time of the year because it’s tax season. That means if you get a call from someone saying they’re from the Canada Revenue Agency you need to be careful.
Always remember the CRA will never ask you for banking or other personal information over the phone, it won’t threaten you with jail time or sending the police to your home, and it will never ask you to pay back taxes you owe with things like gift cards. The CRA only accepts actual money. If you think you are having legitimate issues with your taxes then call the CRA yourself.
The OPP says the best defence against fraud is education and that people need to share information about how these fraudsters pull these con jobs with their friends and family. To help keep yourself safe from fraud in general, you should always keep an eye on your credit card and bank statements for suspicious activity, avoid clicking links and popups in unsolicited emails and avoid doing things like e-banking on public wi-fi.
You can find more tips at the Canadian Anti‐Fraud Centre’s website or by calling 1‐888‐495‐8501.