The Merritt community policing office (CPO) is warning the public of fake Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scams that typically pop up during tax season.

RCMP Const. Tracy Dunsmore.

RCMP Const. Tracy Dunsmore

RCMP Const. Tracy Dunsmore said the office received an email claiming to be from the CRA, which said that a review of their tax forms found they were owed a refund of $93 and that it could be claimed by going online and submitting personal information.

“We don’t submit any kind of income tax form, so I knew it was a scam,” said Dunsmore.

“That type of email is coming out again this year. It’s totally a scam, but people need to be aware that if they’re getting emails from Canada Revenue Agency that they’re most likely not legitimate,” she said.

“They’re looking for information, so as soon as you hit the link and start typing in your information that’s where they’re going to have access to your identity or they could get into your back accounts or computers,” said Dunsmore.

Dunsmore also warned of phone calls where the person on the other line will claim you owe the CRA money and threatens to send police to arrest you if you don’t pay up.

“We don’t arrest people under the Canada Revenue Agency Act, so if they’re telling you that you owe money and they’re going to send the police out to arrest you that is not true,” said Dunsmore.

People can report a scam by contacting the community policing office at 250-378-3955, the Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262 or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-800-495-8501.