Every year, the RCMP in New Brunswick gets hundreds of reports from people who have received a phone call from someone who is trying to scam them.

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In the last month alone, the RCMP has received more than 100 complaints about what is known as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scam,  in which someone claiming to be with the CRA says the person they’re calling owes overdue taxes. The callers are aggressive and often claim you can be arrested if the money is not paid immediately. The callers speak with a foreign accent and insist the money be paid either by credit card or through Western Union. In some cases the fraudsters use a program to display the telephone number of either the revenue agency or local police on the intended victim's caller ID display. The RCMP does not collect money for the Canada Revenue Agency.

In addition to this scam, there are usually several others going on as well. No matter the scam, here’s what to do if you suspect a fraudster is calling:What should you do?

  • Hang up the phone immediately! It’s not rude, and could help protect you.
  • Don’t give out any personal information, including identification numbers, passwords or financial information.

Who should you contact?

When should you notify police?

  • If you have been a victim of fraud, either by providing confidential personal information or otherwise cooperating with the callers. If you have not been defrauded, there is no need to call the police. You can report the call to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

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