Brantford Police want to warn the community about an ongoing Canada Revenue Agency scam after a woman was defrauded out of $1,000.

A Brantford woman received a phone call on March 8^th around 10:30 a.m. from a fraudster who claimed he was an investigator the CRA. The caller told her that she failed to respond to previous communications from and there is a warrant out for her arrest. He told her she would face jail time unless she paid $1,000 immediately.

She questioned the fraudster and asked him to provide her with her own social insurance number, but the man became aggressive, shouted and used tactics to scare the woman.

She was instructed to stay on the phone with him and go to a business and purchase $1,000 worth of ITunes gift cards, scratch the number code on the back and give it to him.

The woman stayed on the phone with the fraudster for almost four hours until the fraudster got the codes.

The Brantford Police Service want to remind members of the community that crime prevention and fraud education are important.

The CRA will not ask for personal information by email or text message and will not ask for payment through a prepaid credit card, wire transfer or ITunes gift cards.

CRA employees will not use inappropriate language, threaten to put you in jail or send police to your home for non-payment or filing taxes late. Fraudsters use these tricks and tactics to make people obey their demands.

The fraudster will also demand people stay on the telephone while traveling to a location to send a wire transfer or buy ITunes gift cards to ensure that people don’t call the real CRA or tell a friend or family member.

If you have already sent funds and/or your personal information contact the police and your financial institution immediately.

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud contact the Brantford Police Service at 519-756-7050.

If you have received a telephone call, but have not fallen for the scam report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free at 1-888-495-8501 or online at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index.shtm.