Do not attempt to pay any tax bill with Bitcoin, caution police. One North Vancouver resident learned the hard way after losing $3000.00 to a tax scam. The incident played out on January 18, 2018 when the victim received a phone call from an alleged employee of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The male caller told the victim he owed $8000.00 in unpaid taxes and if not paid immediately he would go to jail. He was threatened that the police would show up at his residence if he hung up or did not pay the money.

The victim was then directed to make the payment (as much as he could afford that day) by using a Bitcoin terminal. A transfer of $3000.00 was made by the victim to a Bitcoin reference code number supplied by the fraudster. After the transfer was made the victim realized he had been scammed.

Tax time is soon upon us and scam artists will use creative, criminal means to defraud you of your hard earned money. CRA will NOT contact you by phone and threaten or coerce you into paying a tax bill, cautioned Cpl. Richard De Jong of the North Vancouver RCMP. Also, the CRA does NOT accept Bitcoin as a method of payment!

If you want to confirm that a CRA representative has actually contacted you, call the CRA at 1-800-959-8281 for individual concerns or 1-800-959-5525 for business-related calls.

Report any frauds to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or call them at 1-888-495-8501.