Steinbach RCMP are notifying the public to remain vigilant and skeptical when receiving phone calls saying that they owe money.
This past week some people living in Steinbach and the surrounding area received phone calls from people claiming to be legitimate authority figures. The callers claimed to be police officers or agents working for Revenue Canada, attempting to scam the victims out of money.
Police say that this is a form of mass marketing fraud that has been used in the past and it usually coincides with this time of year when people have filed their income tax. The caller will claim that the victim owes money to Revenue Canada and they must pay the money immediately or there will be serious consequences, such as being arrested by the police for tax evasion. The fraudster will tell victims where to send the money, typically by way of a money order. Once the money is sent, it is virtually impossible to trace and the victim will be out that money. It is only afterwards that the victim will realize that they’ve been scammed.
Steinbach RCMP want to remind everyone to be very skeptical when receiving calls or requests of this nature. Should you receive such a phone call, you are urged to not respond to it. You are also urged to contact your local police or the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 for more information.
