Another Fraud in Ottawa- Learn from my mistakes

Good Lord what have I done? Normally I trust no one.  With so much changing technology, I can hardly keep up and I'm finding I am a victim of potential fraud yet again but did not lose anything.   I reported the errors of my ways immediately but my self esteem is shaken.

The last time was a year ago October with the scammers from overseas.  This time I fell for an online trick as old as the hills but I have damn good reasons for why. I sent in my CRA quarterly money owing. The next day somebody sent me an e-transfer to my cell phone. It's the first time I've received something like that and I thought it was odd but I tried to cash it had some problems and then switched over to my bank app and it deposited no problem.  Last night CRA reassessed my deposit and reimbursed me for an overpayment to the tune of $282 which has happened before but this time, they sent me a refund to my cell as well. 

Now I know I've set it up with them for direct deposit  but it was late and I was distracted and tired. That's how all my disastrous stories start.  With hindsight, I do know better. I tried to deposit it but because it was a new media I had to set it up properly like I did my bank app.  I've done this before but it did seem kind of odd. I put in my debit number as I've had to do many times before setting up my security questions and then it asked me for my credit card number information. 3 times I exited out to see and check if it was a valid email. Finally I forged ahead to see the money was not deposited. Quel suprise! I immediately called my bank and we froze all my accounts and credit cards, bloody hell.

I waited with bated breath for 9 a.m. the next morning to call CRA and have them let me know what I already knew- that they don't use any other reimbursement other than direct deposit. No matter what they told me, it would be bad news.  If it was a real deposit, I'd shut down everything for nothing and caused myself a lot of grief.  If it was fraud, same outcome.  While I did almost everything textbook WRONG, I did not give out my SIN so CRA and the credit rating companies were not compromised so woohoo on me outsmarting the thieves eh?  Don't cheer too loudly, it just wasn't one of their questions. 

I then called Equifax and here's where it starts getting wonky. I just admitted to them that I've erroneously given all this information to the bad guys living in my computer, waiting to kill, crush and destroy me or at least potentially defraud me but with each new company that I call, I have to give them my social insurance number, full name, address, phone number  birthday and so on. It just doesn't seem right. So Equifax put a fraud alert for six years on my account and said they would let me know if someone was trying to open a new account by sending an alert to my phone. 6 years is a long time to have my hand spanked.  Then they tried to sell me more protection which I said I would wait to decide at another date, especially after they got quite aggressive and building on my fears.  They told me to call the commercial Department and gave me the number to make sure my business was not compromised. I called that number and it was just to get my credit rating- made no sense.

I called Trans Union to repeat all the same information with a total stranger and they said every time somebody tries to open up a credit with my information they will get contact me via snail mail and I'll know within 5 days. I think by then I will be screwed and living in a box by the river, won't I? 

Next was the call to the police but to get through to the police non-emergency fraud line is a nightmare. Finally I spoke to the operator and she said because I have not lost any money she could give me the number to notify the police of a new fraud but they were well aware of this one for the last three years so thanks but bye-bye. 

Off to the bank to get a new debit card and wait a week to get a another credit card. I have to notify all of the companies I deal with who get automatic debits monthly off my credit card like CAA, Netflix Etc. And I was wondering what I was going to do with my day today.

People, learn from my mistakes.   Repeat after me- CRA will never contact you or send you money by text.  Don't be tired, greedy, and gullible like I was. Wait till the morning when you're awake and better able to deal with finance and money transactions. Class is dismissed.