59 Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers EXTORTION SCAMS An extortion scam is when any person unlawfully obtains money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. There are many variations of extortion scams but the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) scheme are the most prevalent ones. Seniors are being targeted by fraudsters impersonating real government officials. Whether by telephone or by email, the pitch involves one of two variations. In the first, the fraudsters are "phishing" for identification information. The word phishing comes from the analogy that scammers use phone calls or email lures to "fish" for personal information, passwords and financial data from individuals. In the second variation, they are asking that outstanding taxes be paid by a money service business or by prepaid debit/credit cards. For example: • There is a notification by phone or email from the "CRA" claiming there is a refund pending. In order for the recipient to receive the refund personal information is requested. • A notification by phone or email is received about "back taxes" owed as the result of an audit. The payment must be made immediately to avoid a fine or the recipient is told there is an outstanding warrant that can be avoided if the payment is made promptly. In some cases, individuals are told they will be arrested or deported if the taxes aren't paid right away. Prevention tips • Government agencies won't threaten you or ask for payment by prepaid credit card, or a money wire service such as MoneyGram or Western Union. • Don't take immediate action. Contact the real agency or company to confirm that you owe back taxes or have an unpaid balance, or are entitled to a refund, before providing any personal or banking information. • Ask yourself why an employee would be asking for personal information over the phone that they likely already have on file for you. SERVICE SCAM A service scam is any false, deceptive, or misleading promotion or solicitations for paid services. These solicitations involve third parties that commonly make offers for telecommunications, internet, finance, medical and energy services. Additionally, this category may include, but is not limited to, offers such as extended warranties, insurance and sales services. The two most reported service scams targeting Canadians are the antivirus software scam (Microsoft/Windows Technician) and lower interest rate scams. The scammers involved in the antivirus software scam promise to repair your computer over the internet. This can involve the installation of software or permission to have remote access to your computer. Payment for the software or repair is typically made by credit card. Downloading software from an unknown source or allowing someone to remotely access your computer is risky. Scammers could use malicious software to capture your personal information such as user names and passwords, bank account information, identity information, etc. The people behind lower interest rate scams often impersonate financial institutions and claim to negotiate with credit card companies to lower your interest rates. They guarantee they can save you thousands of dollars in interest. The caller will tell you that the lower interest rates are for a limited time only and that you need to act now. In addition, the scammer will request a "one time" upfront fee to process the lower interest. Prevention tips • No legitimate company will call and claim your computer is infected with a virus. • Never give anyone remote access to your computer. If you are having problems with your operating system, bring it to a local technician. continued
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==