Fake police arrest and force woman to deposit cash in latest Canada Revenue scam

Vancouver police say there’s a new twist on a Canada Revenue Agency scam they’ve been warning the public about and the swindle involves being arrested.

Police say a 58-year-old woman received a phone call on Wednesday afternoon from someone claiming to be from the agency, who said she owed $6,000 in taxes and there was a warrant for her arrest.

The woman was contacted again by a person claiming to be with the RCMP and he convinced her to give out personal information, including her location.

Police say two men showed up at her door, dressed as RCMP officers complete with what appeared to be firearms, handcuffed her and put her in the back seat of an older-model sedan.

The woman was driven to a Bitcoin machine in Surrey, B.C., to deposit the cash and the two men left the area without the victim.

Const. Jason Doucette says taking control of someone like that can be considered kidnapping and they remind people to hang up if anyone calls claiming to be from the Canadian Revenue Agency.