AMPS Warns Akwesasne of Phone Scammers

The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) is cautioning the community once again of continued aggressive phone calls being made from persons identifying themselves to be with the Canadian Revenue Agency, or other various government agencies. These individuals are calling area residents from what appears to be local numbers, advising that local police will be arresting them because they owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Tips to Avoid Falling Prey to Scammers:

• Do not feel pressured to respond to a request until you have a chance to verify the story.
• Never transfer money, give out credit card, or other financial information until you can verify the person’s identity and determine whether it is legitimate.
• The Canada Revenue Agency does not ask for payment via prepaid credit cards or wire transfer, nor does it email Canadians and request personal information.
• Look up published numbers for the Canada Revenue Agency in the telephone book and confirm the legitimacy of the caller’s story.
• Do not call numbers provided to you by the person who called you.
• Do not believe what you see as business logos, websites and email addresses. They can easily be duplicated to look legitimate.
• Watch for poor grammar and spelling.
• Hover your mouse over links to check their true destination. If the URL doesn’t match the link or seems suspicious, don’t click on it.
• Be wary of unexpected emails that contain links or attachments from unknown senders.
• Never provide personal information like your SIN, bank account information or credit card numbers.
• Update your computer’s anti-virus software