Hundreds in Nanaimo receive tax scam phone call: Mounties
NANAIMO — Scammers claiming to be collecting back taxes for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) have their sights squarely focused on Nanaimo right now, according to Mounties.
Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Derek Balderston said their detachment received about 200 complaints between Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon from people who had been harassed over the phone. He said considering many people don’t report issues like this to Mounties, it’s safe to assume many more people got a similar call.
“There is a pattern here in Nanaimo where we will receive a focused or concentrated number of calls over a period of time,” Balderston told NanaimoNewsNOW. “What’s really quite clear is these scammers are actively targetting residents in Nanaimo.”
Balderston said the callers claim to be with the CRA and demand payment for a tax debt. “It’s been reported to us that they’re using very aggressive tactics, threatening language, threats of arrest and imprisonment.”