How to spot fake texts as CRA, anti-fraud centre warn of rising scams

The tax filing deadline has come and gone, but the scam text claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency know no bounds. It can be offering you a text, a tax refund via text message. It could also be telling you that, oh, you’ve been reassessed and now you owe a certain amount to the CRA. And it’s not just taxes. False messages about bank accounts being compromised or failed package deliveries also continue to mount. The Canadian Anti Fraud Center says they have received slightly more than 1000 reports of spam text messages in the first three months of this year. With more than $10 million lost to fraud, where text was the first mode of contact, already nearly half the total amount lost in 2023, with numbers rising, there are things you can do to spot a fake and protect yourself. Screen your phone calls. If you’re unsure who’s calling, ask yourself if you were expecting a call or message from a certain organization. Reach out to that group or agency to confirm if they were trying to contact you. And if you have an account like with the bank or the CRA, go online and verify the message. Vigilance is, uh, very important. Uh, take your time. Don’t rush into anything. The CRA, along with a number of banks and other companies, won’t ever use text as a way to contact people. But as scams become more sophisticated, keep in mind that such activity is more common during tax season or when other benefits are being delivered. Sean Preville, Global News.