A Burnaby resident is devastated after losing thousands of dollars to a scammer claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency. She wants to remain anonymous but wants her story to serve as a warning.
“All the money that we earned…they took it all,” she said.
Earlier this week the victim was contacted by someone who said he was with the CRA and said she owed money. The scammer threatened her and her family with arrest.
“I’m scared they’re going to do something to my husband. They said they’re going to arrest him or something, that’s why I was scared.”
READ MORE: Okanagan Mounties issue warning/advice about telephone tax scammers
She was kept on the phone for hours, and in the end she withdrew a total of $8,000. The scammer then asked her to buy iTunes cards with the money and give him the serial numbers.
“The money that we earned so hard, they took it all, that’s not fair..like night and day we work..and then a matter of four hours they scammed me. That’s not fair.”
Burnaby RCMP say scammers are preying on people around Metro Vancouver. In the past few weeks they’ve stolen more than $25,000 from victims.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Major John Buis has this advice: “If you do get a call from somebody saying they’re from the Canada Revenue Agency note their name, take that name, ask for a file number and ask to speak to their supervisor, because in Canada the Canada Revenue Agency doesn’t threaten arrest if you don’t pay.”
People across the country have fallen prey to the scam, including an Edmonton-area man who claims he lost more than $20,000.
As for the Burnaby victim she hopes the police are able to find the scammers and that her experience helps others not fall victim to fraudsters.
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