Consider that major Internet websites of Google, Yahoo, Twitter, the US Government have been compromised — any site online is hackable.
The problem is magnified if you give anyone access to your bank account or credit card account. Financial institutions are not liable to repay you for any monies fraudulently stolen. Would anyone willingly give financial information away to a complete stranger over the telephone? Yes, it happens every day!
It is a well-known fact that family members have been ripping seniors off under the guise of helping them shop or do their banking — going far beyond being downright mean — it’s criminal! If family members have been known to steal money from seniors, it makes sense that a stranger can take you for a ride and reduce your financial assets which can never be restored.
Would anyone willingly give financial login information away to a third party who happens to ring your telephone? Or give them all their credit card info? You bet they do! Many overly trusting seniors are actually conned into giving all their credit card information out to people who claim to be from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA).
Theft is a felony that has occurred for centuries. Smooth-talkers with bad intent have always lied. Sadly, in some cases, even family members have ripped seniors off under the guise of helping them shop or do their banking — going far beyond being downright mean — it’s criminal! The Canadian government has warning messages on their website that discloses many scams. One of them is the CRA scam which increases at tax time:
Know how to recognise a scam
There are many fraud types, including new ones invented daily.
Taxpayers should be vigilant when they receive, either by telephone, mail, text message or email, a fraudulent communication that claims to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requesting personal information such as a social insurance number, credit card number, bank account number, or passport number.