Fake Support Calls in Canada: CRA and Bank Impersonation
Canadians are frequently targeted by fraudsters impersonating the Canada Revenue Agency and major Canadian banks, using arrest threats and account-freeze stories to pressure immediate payments via gift cards or Interac e-Transfer.
Part of: Fake Tech Support Calls
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Canada Revenue Agency impersonation scams have been among the most prevalent fraud types reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for several years. The threat of arrest, deportation, or account seizure is used to create panic that bypasses rational evaluation.
Canadian bank impersonation calls follow a complementary pattern: victims are told a suspicious transaction has been detected and must verify their banking credentials or approve a protective transfer — which actually moves funds to a scammer-controlled account.
How this scam works on Canada
A caller claims to be a CRA officer and states the victim owes back taxes. They are told that unless payment is made immediately, police will arrest them within hours. Payment is demanded via iTunes gift cards, Google Play cards, or Interac e-Transfer to avoid arrest. The genuine CRA never communicates this way.
In the bank variant, a caller claims to be from the victim's bank's fraud department and says a suspicious transfer is in progress. To 'reverse' it, the victim must log in and approve a counter-transaction — which actually transfers money out. Some callers spoof the bank's legitimate caller ID to increase credibility.
Some operations specifically target recent immigrants who may be less familiar with CRA procedures and more concerned about status implications of a supposed tax debt.
Common red flags
- CRA demands immediate payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or Interac e-Transfer
- Caller threatens arrest or deportation within hours unless payment is made now
- Bank calls from a number that looks legitimate but asks you to approve a transfer to protect your account
- Caller requests remote access to your computer to fix a supposed banking security issue
- Any request to keep the call secret from family members
- Urgency that prevents you from calling the official number back to verify
How to protect yourself
- Understand that the CRA never demands immediate payment by gift card or threatens arrest by phone
- Hang up and call the CRA directly at 1-800-959-8281 to verify any genuine tax concern
- Contact your bank on the number on the back of your card — not a number given by the caller
- Never approve a transfer or log into your bank account at a caller's instruction
- Register on Canada's Do Not Call List at lnnte-dncl.gc.ca
- Report the number to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre immediately after hanging up
How to report it
- Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre.ca or call 1-888-495-8501
- Report CRA impersonation to the CRA's security team at cra-arc.gc.ca/security
- Contact local police if you have already sent money
Frequently asked questions
Does the CRA ever contact Canadians by phone about tax debts?
The CRA may call taxpayers in some circumstances, but it will never demand immediate payment by gift card, Interac e-Transfer, or cryptocurrency, and it will never threaten arrest. If you receive such a call, hang up and contact the CRA directly through its official website to verify whether you have any genuine outstanding balance.