Email scam!
Every year, Canadians lose millions of dollars to scammers who use the Internet to defraud them. Any email you receive that comes from a sender you do not know, is not specifically addressed to you and promises you some benefit is likely to be spam.
We have received reports that some Canadians may have received false or misleading messages that appear to be from Global Affairs Canada.
Emails: If you receive a suspicious email, please verify the sender. Our messages to Canadians abroad are sent from either sos@international.gc.ca or another Government of Canada email account ending with @international.gc.ca.
Phone calls: If you receive a suspicious call, do not provide any financial information. Contact the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate to verify that the call is legitimate.
Phishing scams try to trick you into handing over your personal and banking details to the scammers. The emails you receive might look and sound legitimate but genuine banks or government authorities will never ask you to send them your personal information by email or online.
Scammers can easily copy the logo or even the entire website of a genuine organization. So don't assume an email you receive is legitimate. If the email is asking you to visit a website to "update", "validate" or "confirm" your account information, be careful and call the organization to verify whether the message is legitimate.
Delete phishing emails. Do not open any attachments or follow any links, because they can carry viruses than can infect your computer.
Email example
We have been notified that a phishing email (below), supposedly from the Canada Revenue Agency, has been sent from an “@Travel.gc.ca” email address. The "@Travel.gc.ca" email address does not exist. It is an example of “spoofing”, in which the sender address and other parts of the email header are altered to appear as though the email originated from a different source. Spoofing is often used in spam and phishing emails to hide the real origin of the message.
These messages are spam, are fraudulent and should be deleted immediately. If you receive this or a similar email and wish to report it, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Reimbursement form Canada Revenue Agency
After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund 376.05$.
Please submit the tax refund and allow us 3-7 days to process.
A refund may be delayed for various reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.
To access the form for your tax refund, please click here>>
Copyright Canada Revenue Agency. All rights reserved.
Related links
Other resources
- Protect yourself against fraud (Canada Revenue Agency)
- What to expect when the Canada Revenue Agency contacts you (Canada Revenue Agency)
- Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
- Get Cyber Safe
- The Little Black Book of Scams
- Date modified: