New scam threatens to terminate SIN; Anti-Fraud Centre says be aware

There’s a new online scam web users should be vigilant against. 

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has issued a warning to the public about a new variation of the Social Insurance Number (SIN) Extortion Scam. 

What happens is fraudsters pose as Service Canada saying an individual’s SIN is being terminated in the next 24 hours. 

When victims call, they are told unless they pay they will be arrested. 

A new version of a Service Canada, CRA scam. Image submitted.

S/Sgt. Sarah Parke responded to questions from Lakeland Connect and said there hasn’t been an incident like this reported to either Bonnyville or Cold Lake detachments. 

“Should this SIN scam start making the rounds in the Lakeland, the main advice we can give is to not give your Social Insurance Number over the phone, and any call where there’s a threat of arrest if money isn’t paid is surely a scam,” S/Sgt. Parke said.  

“The RCMP nor the CRA threaten people with arrest warrants for money.” 

When scams are reported to local RCMP detachments, police do what they can, but victims are also referred to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.