Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is letting residents know they’ll be resuming some activities, including phone calls, and wants to help Canadians avoid scams. 

A common occurrence is for scammers is to phone people up pretending to be the CRA to try to trick them into paying fake debts.  

The CRA says to distinguish legitimate CRA employees from scammers, you need to know why and how they might be contacting you. 

This month, the CRA could be reaching out to: 

  • Pursue payment arrangements from those who owe 
  • Reconnect with those who may owe to re-evaluate their financial situation, discuss payment options, and offer a payment arrangement where possible 
  • Contact certain taxpayers to help them meet their tax obligations, like filing taxes  
  • Begin contacting clients if clarification or supporting documents are needed related to their tax and benefit return 

The CRA says legitimate CRA employees who contact Canadians will identify themselves as CRA agents and provide their name and a telephone number. Residents can make sure it’s a CRA agent calling before providing any information over the phone. 

The CRA gives these steps to verify: 

  • Tell the caller you would like to first verify their identity 
  • Ask for, and make a note of their name, phone number and office location 
  • Check that the call you received was legitimate by contacting the CRA at the number that applies to your situation. Common phone numbers are: 
    • 1-800-959-8281 for the Individual Income Tax enquiries line 
    • 1-800-959-5525 for the Business enquiries line 
    • 1-888-863-8657 for individual debts 
    • 1-877-477-5068 for GST/HST debts 
    • 1-877-548-6016 for payroll debts 
    • 1-866-291-6346 for corporation debts 
    • 1-866-864-5823 if the call you received was about a government program such as employment insurance or Canada Student Loan debts 

Residents can also double check the status of their tax account and make sure the CRA has their current address and email online. 

To report a scam, visit antifraudcentre.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.  

For more information on avoiding tax scams, and why the CRA might be calling, click HERE.