Con men pretending to be from the Canada Revenue Agency last week threatened seniors with police arrest unless they gave them money, Didsbury accountant Kim Pross said Jan 22.
Pross who practises with Anderson Slipp Chartered Accountants said several clients, one in tears, phoned her to say that “CRA was demanding money and threatening them with arrest by the RCMP unless they paid up immediately.”
“Didsbury was targeted,” Pross said. She said several seniors were on the receiving end of calls from the fraudsters.
An unknown number of people gave money to the fraudsters because they thought they faced arrest otherwise, said Pross.
Didsbury RCMP officers received more than 10 calls last week about the Canada Revenue Agency scam.
Sgt. Kimberley Pasloske said the scammer claims they are from Canada Revenue Agency and asks the person to send them money.
“Canada Revenue Agency does not call and ask for money to be sent to them,” said Pasloske.
“Don't give any personal information out.”
If someone receives a call, which they believe is a scam, they are asked to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
If they send money before realizing it's a scam, they are asked to report it to the Didsbury RCMP detachment at 403-335-3382.
