CRA tax return scam targeting Mississauga and Brampton residents

Tax season may be over, but scammers are still out there trying to trick unsuspecting taxpayers out of their personal information.

One such scam purports to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and prompts the recipient to reply for more details about their tax return this year.

It looks like this (recipient’s number blacked out):

Residents are advised that this is a fraudulent message and not a legitimate communication from the CRA.

The CRA says it’s regularly made aware of scams impersonating the agency, including scams that file fake tax returns in your name and scams that offer fake refunds to Canadians.

These phishing scams may ask you to provide personal information such as your name, social insurance number, date of birth, and online banking information.

“Do not reply to the text message or send them any personal information,”  the CRA advises. “The CRA will not use text messages or instant messages to start a conversation with you about your refund.”

When in doubt, residents should check if they received a message on their CRA My Account page, which is where taxpayers can manage their tax affairs online and receive notifications from the CRA.

For more information on scams and how to avoid being a victim visit PeelPolice.ca.