CRA phone scammers now appear to call from Halifax RCMP number

Nova Scotia RCMPare warning about a new twist on an old phone scam where suspects call people while pretending to work for the Canadian Revenue Agency and attempt to get personal information and defraud them.

In the latest update, police say scammersare calling from phone number which appear on their call display as 1-800-803-7267 a toll-free Halifax District RCMP number.

Police say the scammer told theperson to buy iTunes gift cards at the post office then call them back and someone from CRA would be at their house within 45 minutes with paperwork.

"The RCMP has recently seen a dramatic increase in fraudulent activity where callers are portraying themselves as members of CRA and demanding money, or items of monetary value," said theRCMP in a news release.

"Often there are threats involved where the caller states that if the complainant does not do as requested immediately there will be repercussions from the CRA."

RCMP says it's been working to address the misuse of its phone number.

CRA wants to remind people it does not conduct its business or threaten people by phone in this way.

Police advise that people targeted hang up immediately and report the matter directly to policeand the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre at1-888-495-8501.