CRA scammers posing as Mounties rob $6,000 from woman

Vancouver police are warning the public after a woman was handcuffed and defrauded out of $6,000 by two men posing as RCMP officers as part of an elaborate Canada Revenue Agency scam.

On Wednesday, the 58-yearold Vancouver woman got a call from someone claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency. Police say the scammer told her there was a warrant for her arrest because she owed income tax. She was then connected over the phone to another fraudster who claimed to be an RCMP officer.

“This person was able to manipulate the woman into providing personal information, including her location at the time,” Vancouver Police Const. Jason Doucette said in a statement.

The woman then received a visit at her home from two men dressed in what appeared to be RCMP uniforms. She was handcuffed, placed into the back seat of an older-model sedan and driven to a bank near Cambie Street and West King Edward Avenue, where she was ordered to withdraw $6,000.

The next stop was a Bitcoin machine in Surrey where the funds were deposited. Once the transaction was complete, the scammers drove away without the victim.

“This incident has taken the CRA scam to a new level. Taking physical control of someone like this can be considered kidnapping,” said Doucette. “We are reminding people to hang up on anyone claiming to be from the CRA. If you want to double-check, call the agency at a publicly available number.”

The first suspect was described as a white male in his 30s, 5-foot-11, with an average build, light brown hair and a full, trimmed beard. The second man was a white male, 25 to 27 years old, clean-shaven with short brown hair.

They were driving a black, older model, four-door vehicle with worn-out seats.