The Manitoba government is warning Manitobans about fraudulent text messages involving provincial fine payments and tax credits, which are part of a phishing scam.
This week, members of the public reported receiving texts from a sender claiming to be Manitoba Justice and demanding payment for outstanding fines for provincial offences including speeding tickets and traffic violations. Manitoba Justice currently does not send payment requests or any official communications via text. Anyone with concerns about outstanding fines or questions about methods of communications should contact Manitoba Justice directly or visit gov.mb.ca.
Other recipients have recently received a text asking them to finalize their Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit (HATC) by clicking a link. Manitoba Finance does not verify or finalize tax credits or benefits via text message. For information about HATC, visit gov.mb.ca.
Manitobans who receive these types of texts should not respond or click on any links within the message and should avoid providing any personal information. Recipients can report suspicious messages to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
