CRA scam active on P.E.I.

Police on P.E.I. are receiving calls from Islanders about people claiming to work for the Canada Revenue Agency, part of a scam being reported across the country.

The callers claim money is owed and ask funds be transferred to an online account to clear the balance. Charlottetown police say recently someone in the city received this type of call. They were told police would be at their home within an hour unless payment was made.

It's terrible because people can be afraid of stuff like that.- Charlottetown resident Joe Walsh

Seventy-seven-year-old Charlottetown resident Joe Walsh received a call from someone claiming to be with CRA on Wednesday of this week.

"They told me that they would take action against my job," said Walsh.

"It's terrible because people can be afraid of stuff like that and they relent and they give them money."

Walsh was not taken in.

CRA says it would never ask anyone to wire cash or use prepaid cards as payments.

Police say if anyone receives a phone call or email of this kind they should immediately contact CRA to confirm if money is actually owed before any transactions are made. Island residents should be aware of phone calls asking for information such as credit card, bank account, and passport numbers.

CRA says it does not request personal information of any kind from a taxpayer by email. Also, CRA will not divulge taxpayer information to another person unless formal authorization is provided by the taxpayer.