Ontario Energy Credit text scam comes to Mississauga and Brampton

Another fresh scam is underway in Mississauga and Brampton, this time promising residents their carbon tax rebates, which are set to come out this month.

The scam comes in the form of a text message promising residents their “Ontario Energy Credit.” It includes a link to a website where it directs the receiver to claim their rebate.

However, there’s no such thing as an Ontario Energy Credit. Ontario did have a price on carbon some years ago through a cap-and-trade system. The province joined with other provinces and some states in the US in the carbon allowance swapping system in 2017.

However one of the first moves of the then-newly elected Doug Ford government was to leave this program in 2018. Since Ontario no longer had its own carbon pricing system the federal government imposed one of their own.

Therefore all carbon tax rebate, which is actually called the Climate Action Incentive, comes not from Ontario but from the federal government.

Additionally, as with any tax refund, the money will either go straight into the resident’s bank account or come as a cheque in the mail.

Previous scams like this have been targeting local TD customers as well. The banking giant calls these scam attempts “smishing” a portmanteau of SMS and phishing.

They advise anyone who receives such a message to ignore it and provide no personal information. Peel Regional Police have warned residents in the past that these messages will often ask for names, birthday, social insurance numbers and even banking or credit card information.