Personal Finance

Call from CRA to verify home buyers rebate

  • Last Updated:
  • Dec 5th, 2016 4:51 pm
Sr. Member
Feb 21, 2010
886 posts
263 upvotes
Scarborough

Call from CRA to verify home buyers rebate

Hi All,
My mom just received this call from CRA about 15 minutes ago. Caller wanted to speak to my dad but he is traveling and will be returning to the country around Christmas. Caller said that he wants to verify if my dad actually lived in the new house they bought last year. My brother is also on the title and my mom suggested the caller to speak to my brother but the caller refused. Caller provided a call back number and asked my mom to tell dad to call her back. When I called that number, person with caller's name answered the phone, so it is a direct number. Caller mentioned my mom the entire address of new house, knew that my brother is on title, knew my dad's previous address. Caller told my mom that they are verifying as part of home buyers rebate program.

Is this a real CRA call or some kind of scam?

Thanks,
RC
17 replies
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2016
2297 posts
2777 upvotes
Toronto, ON
Did the CRA Agent provide you with their name and employee ID#? This is customary information and you can then call CRA at 1800-959-8281 to verify the legitimacy of the caller.

You can call them to confirm that there is a verification request on file and who the agent is that is handling the file. It is the only way to confirm if this is legit. But yes, it is not uncommon for an agent to call directly while doing a review for more information.
Deal Addict
Aug 19, 2013
2397 posts
1091 upvotes
They dont give out employee numbers.

It sounds very legit. They have valid and specific information about the situation. Also the information they want wouldn't really be of any use to a scammer. Have your dad call them.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Apr 22, 2014
552 posts
279 upvotes
Edmonton, AB
Momof3cuties wrote: They dont give out employee numbers.
What? Yes, they most certainly do give out a badge number. They usually answer the phone with their name and badge iD.
Deal Addict
Aug 19, 2013
2397 posts
1091 upvotes
I have many CRA auditor friends. Just asked one. They don't have employee/badge numbers. And their user id they use at work they would never disclose (it's only used internally). Call centre employees may have a number. But that's it. An auditor would not.
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2016
2297 posts
2777 upvotes
Toronto, ON
ID/Badge/Reference/Case #...there is most definitely sime sort of identification that the CRA agent provides that can be used to authenticate the agent.

No one is saying that the agent will give out his or her personal deets...
Deal Addict
Aug 19, 2013
2397 posts
1091 upvotes
dotsandpixels wrote: ID/Badge/Reference/Case #...there is most definitely sime sort of identification that the CRA agent provides that can be used to authenticate the agent.

No one is saying that the agent will give out his or her personal deets...
I was seriously just talking my friend who is an auditor with CRA and asked her They DO NOT have badge or employee numbers that they give out. Call centres may be different, but CRA auditors will not give you an id number of any kind. If asked they will give you their team leaders name and phone number.

But I guess you know more then someone that actually does the job lol.
Member
Oct 12, 2005
483 posts
294 upvotes
Toronto
What doesn't make sense is why the caller divulged all this info without actually speaking to the intended recipient. At most they should have just left a msg to call back and not give out any details.
________________________
Deal Addict
Aug 19, 2013
2397 posts
1091 upvotes
Hartom wrote: What doesn't make sense is why the caller divulged all this info without actually speaking to the intended recipient. At most they should have just left a msg to call back and not give out any details.
The OP stated the caller spoke with his mom. She may have authorization for his dad's account.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 19, 2004
9356 posts
2211 upvotes
Cambridge, ON
Never give your information over the phone to someone who calls you. And never phone back a number that is given to you by the caller. Call the CRA directly.
Sr. Member
Feb 15, 2010
702 posts
700 upvotes
Surrey
Momof3cuties wrote: I was seriously just talking my friend who is an auditor with CRA and asked her They DO NOT have badge or employee numbers that they give out. Call centres may be different, but CRA auditors will not give you an id number of any kind. If asked they will give you their team leaders name and phone number.

But I guess you know more then someone that actually does the job lol.
The OP indicated that there must be some sort of information to verify the request, not just a employee id. Before being snarky, try reading.

The CRA typically does not do direct phone calls without previously issuing a letter with a reference number so that it can be followed up at a later time. I would try to get confirmation of a reference number, if you receive a letter go for it. If you receive a number over the phone, I would call the main line and ask to speak to someone about your reference number.
Banned
Nov 17, 2016
57 posts
28 upvotes
Never Call back the number they give you.

Always call the number they have on CRA website and confirm if the call you got was legit or not, and then ask them to transfer you to the right department or maybe even the extension of the person who called you, if possible.

Its extremely easy to SPOOF , CRA numbers. Even your Call Display will show CRA and the CRA number.
Banned
Nov 17, 2016
57 posts
28 upvotes
Momof3cuties wrote: They dont give out employee numbers.

It sounds very legit. They have valid and specific information about the situation. Also the information they want wouldn't really be of any use to a scammer. Have your dad call them.
Lot of times, the first call from Scammer's is just a phising call. Once you call back, that's when they start scaring you and intimidating you and start getting more information from you.

The initial information the scammer has might not be of any use, but the other info he will get from you will be of use to him. They will start saying you owe CRA money, this has to be settled ASAP, we need your banking info, credit card info and so on. You will be surprised how many people, especially seniors fall for it and end up transferring money to them, as they think its all legit.
Newbie
May 2, 2009
52 posts
17 upvotes
Just finished my homebuyers rebate review from the CRA and I faced the same issue.

They will end up sending a letter to both the address they have on file when you filed your last tax return and the address on file related to the rebate (that your lawyer probably filled out for you) for their review. On the letter, there will be a unique number specific to your case that you can call the main CRA CS phone number with to confirm that this is a legitimate request. The problem in my case was that I received the letter after the agent had already tried to contact me by phone. I had initially ignored his phone calls because I had thought it was a scam.

In the end, if it ends up being the same as mine, they will ask for a copy of your purchase agreement and a few (2-3) documents that confirm that the person who claimed the homebuyers rebate resided in the house. I am assuming that they are asking for your father because your lawyer claimed the rebate under his name.

Just wanted to add that I actually called the CRA main customer service number prior to receiving the letter after I received the first phone call from the agent and described the phone call to the CRA customer service agent and he told me that this was a scam call which in fact ended up being incorrect
Sr. Member
User avatar
Apr 22, 2014
552 posts
279 upvotes
Edmonton, AB
Momof3cuties wrote: I was seriously just talking my friend who is an auditor with CRA and asked her They DO NOT have badge or employee numbers that they give out. Call centres may be different, but CRA auditors will not give you an id number of any kind. If asked they will give you their team leaders name and phone number.

But I guess you know more then someone that actually does the job lol.
Call centre employees have a badge number they will give you. Auditors use a case or reference number.
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2016
2297 posts
2777 upvotes
Toronto, ON
Momof3cuties wrote: I was seriously just talking my friend who is an auditor with CRA and asked her They DO NOT have badge or employee numbers that they give out. Call centres may be different, but CRA auditors will not give you an id number of any kind. If asked they will give you their team leaders name and phone number.

But I guess you know more then someone that actually does the job lol.

Yet you confirmed that some form of information is given out as your auditor friend mentioned. Provision of the team leaders name and phone number is sufficient for a tax payer to verify if the agent is legit or not. You are taking my words too literally. All I am trying to say is for OP to obtain any form of verifiable information such as blah blah blah.

And yes, I also am speaking from experience too and not as an auditor. Fyi, every single inquiry or assessment request made by CRA has a reference number attached to it for identification and documentation purposes. This is all OP needs to confirm authenticity. Ask you auditor friend.
Sr. Member
Feb 21, 2010
886 posts
263 upvotes
Scarborough
thanks everyone. So we received the letter in mail now. It is not from CRA, it is from GST Program being administered out of PEI. My apologies to create confusion that call was from CRA. We have submitted purchase agreement, land registrar copy, drivers license, bank statement and credit card statement copy as proof that we reside in this house and it is our principal residence and gst/ hst rebate is valid.

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