Here Is An Example of Tax Refund Scam Text

Income Tax Return Scam

Hard-working Canadians are now rushing to file their tax returns. Also, scammers are working hard to scam more people and extract more money in unique ways. A common form of scam this time of year takes the form of a phone, text, or email scam asking people to pay owed taxes or collect a tax refund.

Today I have the opportunity to present a screenshot of a real scam text that was received via phone. Scammers send this type of text or email asking to collect or pay money to the CRA or tax agency. These texts or emails look so real that some people actually fall for it and lose money. Basically, if you follow the instructions on these texts or emails your banking information will be exposed to the con artists and they will be able to empty out your bank accounts.

Government tax agencies like CRA or others do not send texts, emails, or call asking for money. Their method of communication is postal mail or notifying your accountants (if you chose that option). The other ways you can check your tax balances is by logging onto the government tax website or calling the tax agencies directly.

Vigilance and common sense are your best defence. If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, contact your local police authority or central anti-fraud authority such as The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).

Canada’s Cheapest Cell Phone Plans

Freedom Mobile Still Offers Best Plans

When searching for the cheapest mobile plans in Canada, you may get confused with all the players available to choose from. However, most of the value plan providers have been bought by big 3 brothers who have been terrorizing and manipulating the Canadian market since the invention of the cell phone. For example, Mobilicity was gobbled up and then destroyed by Rogers, Public Mobile was eaten by Telus and became ungenerous with their plans, and there is Bell Mobility hiding itself under Virgin Mobile.

To keep things simple, I will take Freedom Mobile as my base plans and will try to find lower plans that beat my base plans.

Freedom Mobile Plans

$25 per Month (No Data)

This plan offers unlimited Canada calling and unlimited Canada/US texts.

$35 per Month

Same as $25 plan + 2 GB data

Chatr Mobile Plans

This is Rogers. It offers a $20 per month plan, but it’s only unlimited local. You will be paying extra for sending texts, retrieving voice mail, etc. This is not an option for most users. The $25 plan offers unlimited province only and 100 global texts out. If you want data, you will have to add $10 for 500 MB or $15 for 1 GB. So it’s way more expensive than Freedom.

Fido Plans

This is Rogers as well. Their $25 plan gives only local 100 weekday minutes and unlimited weekend + evening minutes, and unlimited global texts. If you want data, 500 MB is $40 and 1 GM is $50.

Public Mobile Plans

If you use their create-a-plan tool and create a 30-day plan with only province- wide talk and no text no data, it comes to $27 per month. Add text and 1 GB data, it comes to $42. So it’s even worse than Chartr. Mobilicity used to offer plans that are similar to Freedom Mobile and in some cases even cheaper, but Telus destroyed it all since they took over.

Koodo Plans

This is also Telus. Their $28 plan comes with 100 minutes and unlimited texts. 500 MB and 1 GM data cost $40 and $50 per month.

Virgin Mobile Plans

This is Bell. $39 plan provides only Canada 100 minutes + Unlimited E+W and Unlimited Global text. 00 MB and 1 GM data cost $40 and $50 per month.

So from these plans it’s clear that although Shaw Communications bought Freedom Mobile, which used to be called Wind Mobile, its plans are still not destroyed and intact. As Shaw started upgrading their network to provide better and improved coverage and services, let’s wait and see if the plans remain as good as they are now and or if Shaw destroys them like the others.