They're getting desperate

[Elmware]

Ever since I registered a domain with the option to hide my info, I've been getting calls from the so-called CRA, and even so-called IRS. Another recent one is the computer tech people claiming that there is problem with my computer. One asked if I owned a computer. I bet he doesn't even know which ISP I am with. I never did find out, because I told them to eff off, and hung up.

I would love to get them to tell me my own IP address. If there really was a problem coming from me, they would have to at least have that. If they were to ask me for the address, I'd give them something like 127.0.0.1 as ny IP address, and see if he's stupid enough to fall for it. If not, there's the 192.168.0.1.

[Burnaby49]

I edited your post to correct spelling in the title.

[Arthur Rubin]

Ever since I registered a domain with the option to hide my info, I've been getting calls from the so-called CRA, and even so-called IRS. Another recent one is the computer tech people claiming that there is problem with my computer. One asked if I owned a computer.

I suspect your call was from the real CRA; I haven't heard of any fake CRA calls....

Anyone? Burnaby?

My guess is that the fake IRS and the fake Microsoft used a "war games" dialer; I doubt those calls had anything to do with your domain registration.

[webhick]

I removed the hiding option to save money a month ago and since then I've been getting phone calls out of Texas telling me that I'm on the run from the law and I need to call them back immediately.

Of course I'm on the run from the law, duh.

[Burnaby49]

Ever since I registered a domain with the option to hide my info, I've been getting calls from the so-called CRA, and even so-called IRS. Another recent one is the computer tech people claiming that there is problem with my computer. One asked if I owned a computer.

I suspect your call was from the real CRA; I haven't heard of any fake CRA calls....

Anyone? Burnaby?

My guess is that the fake IRS and the fake Microsoft used a "war games" dialer; I doubt those calls had anything to do with your domain registration.

All CRA phone calls claiming that they want to discuss your income tax issues are fake. The CRA never emails taxpayers about their tax issues nor does it discuss them over the phone. If the CRA wants to review a taxpayer's financial affairs they send a letter. When they do phone it is what I did, call, identify myself, and arrange to meet either at their place of business or the office. When we met I'd have official ID. The only time I talked tax issues over the phone was when I was dealing with a taxpayer's representative and I knew him. I get these fake calls frequently along with emails telling me I have a tax refund waiting. I also get the tech calls. This is Microsoft, we've detected a problem with your computer operating system and it needs to be fixed immediately. All this in an East Indian accent with the noisy turmoil of a boiler room in the background.

Here's a sample of warnings from the CRA website;

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency ... fraud.html

What's happening: Some individuals are sending emails and calling Canadians claiming to represent the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and that they owe a fictitious debt to the agency. An immediate payment is demanded, either by credit card or by convincing the victim to purchase a prepaid credit card and contacting them with the information. The language used in the emails and calls often threaten the victim with court charges, jail time and/or deportation.

What you can do: To help you identify possible scams, please note that the CRA:

never requests prepaid credit cards;
never asks for information about your passport, health card, or driver's licence;
never shares your taxpayer information with another person, unless you have provided the appropriate authorization; and
never leaves personal information on your answering machine or asks you to leave a message containing your personal information on an answering machine.

https://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/telema ... revenu.htm

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency ... scams.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency ... -scam.html

[Burnaby49]

A bountiful morning for Burnaby49 and spouse! First my wife. She got a phone call (house phone we both share, she just happened to answer it) with a real person from "the IT Department" calling about problems with wife's computer. Or my computer, the caller did not identify who was being called. When the caller said that she was going to transfer my wife to a specialist wife hung up.

A few hours later it was my turn. I answered the phone to a recording of a very stern, serious female voice telling me she was from the Criminal Investigations Section of Revenue Canada. I was being called because they'd uncovered my tax evasion activities but if I agreed to send the unpaid tax money they'd let me off the hook this time. I hung up before getting details of how to transfer the funds.

Some of problems with the bit that I listened too;

1 - There is no "Revenue Canada". For almost 30 years it's been the Canada Revenue Agency.

2 - The CRA does not have a "Criminal Investigation Section". Potential tax evasion is handled by what was at one time Special Investigations but is now just Investigations.

3 - The recipient of the call was not identified. If my two year old grandson had answered he would have found, to his shock and dismay, that the CRA had uncovered his criminal activities.

4 - The CRA never contacts by phone except to make appointments or when dealing with someone the CRA staff member has contacted before and has confirmed.

5 - Investigations does not make deals. All of their workload is from referrals from audit. They check it out. If there is reason to conclude that there is fraud Investigations takes over the file and builds a case which is passed over to the Department of Justice to prosecute. If there is not sufficient evidence to support a fraud charge the file is returned to the auditor. The Department of Justice might cut a deal, or the auditor might once the file is returned, but not Investigations.

[Elmware]

So, while I'm at work, these bastards kept calling me today. The number displayed was +1 613-699-0263. Called me 3 times today.

[fortinbras]

The very same scam was active in the US for at least the last three years: Some bozo would phone up a home and probably with no more info than the name of the home-owner from the telephone directory would immediately launch into a spiel that the recipient of the call owed the IRS a significant sum of money and the IRS intended to either (acc to different stories) sue or arrest the recipient that very day unless that sum were paid immediately and in cash. And then, depending on circumstances, someone might drive up to the house to pick up the money or there might be instructions on sending the money by wire or by mail. At one point these swine got ahold of a TDD (teletype device for the deaf) and a special telephone directory of deaf people with TDDs and were calling deaf people with this same scare tactic.

[eric]

I don't sweat the calls claiming to be from Microsoft or the CRA, they sometimes add some life to my humdrum existence. The always call me on my landline and my house phone has the ability to detect that it is a VOIP number that calls me. Depending upon my mood I will either ignore the call or play with them for awhile. Hint the CRA, as far as I am aware does not have a call center in Arkansas. Similarly, when they called me with what was supposedly a number local to my tiny village (population 783 including the dogs) I burbled on for about ten minutes about how happy I was that the federal government had opened a call center here and how it would be an absolute boon having another employer here. In any case, all the calls eventually end with me describing in graphic detail my plans involving my pigs, the person who called me, and their family members.

[Elmware]

So now these Mofos are sending me letters claiming to be from Revenue Service of BC. They claim that I owe them money. Each time, it's a different amount too.

Nice try!

They keep threatening to get the money from the CRA, or dock my pay.

I'm really starting to hate those SOBs.

[Elmware]

Another variant is calls from Service Canada. A crime has been committed against my SIN. I need to press "1" to speak to a so-called officer. So I press "1" and wait for someone to answer. Then I blow my 130dB Storm whistle right into the phone and chant "This is the Whistle Blower, blowing the whistle on scumbag thieves like you! Get a life! Get a real job! And get a fucking clue, you stupid moron!" I try to get as much of that in before they hang up.