Question Period Note: EMERGENCY BENEFIT FRAUD

Taxpayers are flagging concerns relating to fraud on their CRA accounts involving the emergency benefit programs. What is the CRA doing to resolve this issue and how will CRA support victims of fraudulent activity?

• The protection of the personal information of Canadians is a priority for the Canada Revenue Agency.
• We have provided regular updates and continue to inform the public about the risks of identity theft and how to safeguard against potential incidents.
• The CRA has dedicated teams to address issues related to identify theft and potential fraud. To date, the number of fraudulent applications is small relative to the entire program. However, it is a worrying situation and that’s why we are working with the RCMP to investigate.
• When the CRA is alerted to suspicious activity, we take action to protect accounts and contact account owners. Victims will not be held liable for unauthorized claims made by fraudsters using their account. Individuals who are victims of fraudulent activity may also be offered free creditor protection services.
• We have increased our number of Agents to respond to call volumes and process files more quickly. We have dedicated teams with the expertise to support taxpayers with their individual situation.
• The CRA is prioritizing calls from the victims of fraud. Canadians may experience longer than usual wait times, but rest assured, we are prioritizing this work.

Over the past few years, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has noticed an increase in activity by unauthorized third parties attempting to gain access to taxpayers’ CRA accounts. In the last few months, these incidents have increasingly targeted the emergency benefit and subsidy programs administered by the CRA. Most recently, we have identified some fraudulent activity involving CRA accounts, including the use of these accounts to make unauthorized claims for the emergency programs.

To ensure the security and protection of personal information, the CRA has taken action to support individuals whose information has been compromised.

None