In the midst of tax season, the Canada Revenue Agency is providing the public with tips on how to avoid being scammed.

CRA Spokesman Adam Finley says scams are getting more sophisticated every year, with illegitimate text messages going as far as including accurate social security numbers.

Finley reminds that the CRA will never text you, especially with personal information.

“The only way we’re going to get in contact with you is either by mail, by email, where we’ll send you an email telling you to check your online account for something, and in very rare instances, we will reach out to you by phone,” he explains.

These messages will never include your personal or financial information. If you are unsure of whether or not a message is legitimate, Finley says you shouldn’t be afraid to contact the CRA to see if they attempted to reach out to you.

“If you have fallen victim to a scam, the best place to start is the Canadian Anti- Fraud Centre. They give you a bunch of resources where you can report the particular scam you may have fallen victim to, and it also gives you steps on how to follow up on it.”

If your account information has been compromised, he advises you to contact the CRA directly.

“You can always give us a call at our 1-800 number. We should be able to put some extra protections on your account to make sure that we are only speaking to you.”

That number is 1-800-959-8281.

On the topic of tax filing, he says the CRA now allows those with First Home Savings Accounts to claim up to $8000 in contributions, and those who built a second home on their property for a senior family member are eligible for the new Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit.