What is a scam message?

A scam message tries to trick you into giving money or private information. It can arrive as a phone call, text, email, or chat. Scammers often pretend to be a bank, a delivery company, or the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Common warning signs:

• The message says you must act right now or something bad will happen.
• It asks for gift cards, cryptocurrency, or an Interac e-Transfer to a person you do not know.
• It asks you to click a link and “sign in” to fix a problem.
• The spelling or grammar looks odd — but some scams now look very real.

The CRA publishes a clear list of things it will not do. For example, the CRA will not send refunds by e-Transfer or text, will not ask for payment by gift card or cryptocurrency, and will not threaten to arrest or deport you in an aggressive call. If a “CRA” caller does these things, hang up. Look up a real CRA phone number yourself later, or sign in only through official pages that start with canada.ca.

Remember: Feeling scared or rushed is a tool scammers use. Slow down. Ask a trusted person or your adult learning centre before you send money or personal details.