A potential phone scam is ringing through Tofino.
Local businesses have reportedly received calls from a person claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency who is suggesting an error has been made on their tax returns and requesting personal information.
Staff at Tofino’s Ecolodge alerted Tofino-Long Beach chamber of commerce executive director Jen Dart to the scam and Dart immediately notified the chamber’s membership.
“The Chamber exists to help businesses do business, and this is one way we can help— by sharing information that’s of value to our members,” Dart told the Westerly.
“This was a particularly effective scam that had quite a few people rattled, and I’m glad we were able to hopefully prevent it from affecting anyone in Tofino.”
She encourages businesses to reach out to the chamber with any information that could be helpful to others.
“The Chamber network is very effective at reaching most of Tofino’s business community, and really that’s the community of Tofino since so many locals are also business owners. There’s value in collaborating with each other on many different levels, this being a good example,” she said.
“Letting us know about this means you’ve by extension informed 300 other people in town know about it. We’re happy to provide this service and the many others we provide to our members.”
Anyone looking for more information about the current alleged scam is encouraged to visit the Canada Revenue Agency’s website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca