Have you received a call from a supposed Federal agency requesting for your Social Insurance Number (SIN)? Read this review to find out why you should be wary of such calls.
What is Social Insurance Number Scam Calls?
Social Insurance Number Scam calls involve someone calling from a specific federal agency stating that actions will be taken if they do not speak with a representative. When the individual is connected with someone, the representative asks for a Social Insurance Number (SIN). The calls may come from 1-800 numbers, local numbers or the RCMP toll-free number (1-800-803-7267). The callers of these scams may say that there are issues with the individual’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) or that they will be arrested if their personal information is not provided.
As a taxpayer, you should be cautious if you receive any communication that claims to be from the CRA and requests personal information such as a social insurance number (SIN), credit card number, bank account number, or passport number.
Steps to take to Protect yourself from the Social Insurance Number Scam Calls
- Recognize that fraudsters are using the telephone, the internet, email, texts and any other available medium to reach out to Canadians and steal their money.
- Reject the callers requests. When you get calls like this, take time to think about it and don’t be afraid to say “no” to the caller. Don’t react immediately but rather do your research, talk to friends and find out more about it. There is no need to follow the orders the caller is giving you.
- Report the incident as soon as possible. If it is not reported, police cannot be alerted to such scams and they cannot provide warnings to the public to prevent fraud.
If you feel like someone else is using your SIN, file a complaint with the police,
- File a complaint with the police and be sure to ask for a case reference number and the officer’s name and telephone number.
- Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. It is jointly run by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police and Competition Bureau Canada and they can guide you further.
- Call Equifax and TransUnion and request a copy of your credit profile to review it for any suspicious activity. They can also flag your account for potential fraud if needed for a small fee.
- Inform your bank and creditors on the phone and in writing.
- If you find any irregularities in your snail mail, like opened envelopes or missing documents, inform Canada Post
After filing all the necessary reports and collected all the documents from various agencies proving fraud or misuse of your SIN, take them to a Service Canada centre in person along with an original ID, to file a report.
I hope this helps!
