I have received an email from the CRA. It starts with “Your authorized representative information on file with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has changed”. Since this my personal tax return, I can assure you that my information has not changed!
Previously, a client told me that she had received the same message. I told her to delete the message!
Has anyone else received or heard from clients that they had received this message.
John
Yes - this is an instant message sent to clients who have had their returns e-filed. If you read further, you will see that it’s not a scam, just a notification. See below:
"Your authorized representative information on file with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has been changed.
If you recently authorized someone to file your income tax return electronically, no action is required.
You can view your authorized representative’s information on the Personal profile page in My Account to ensure it is correct. If it is not, you can make changes in My Account.
If you do not have My Account, go to the CRA website to register.
This is an automated email system. Please do not reply to this message."
Hey Stacy, of course I read the whole message! I just did not what to put the whole message into my message. The problem I have is that not all my clients have received this message. If this is an instant message from the CRA, why not? I guess the question I have for you is, have any or all of your clients received this message?
John
This seems to be something that can only, if genuine, happen with someone who has a CRA MyAccount. Why not check with the EFILE Help Desk? Seems like a good first step.
Or post the message headers here and someone who knows how to read them can advise.
Hi John,
Yes, some of my clients have received this message and I believe it’s what Don has said - they have to have the CRA MyAccount set up to get that notification.
I had a call from a client this morning about this email and it is legit, and it is only if you have a My Account (otherwise they have no address to send it to).
My guess is that CRA will get a bazillion complaints about emails that scare the bejesus out of everyone and mean absolutely nothing to the recipient. I get that they are trying to ensure your account hasn’t been breached, but this is going to backfire, I’m certain.
I know I’m putting in a complaint regarding the time it is going to eat up as I try to calm down my clients, because we know 90% of them aren’t going to read the whole message…
The problem I have with it is the opening line that states that your Authorized Representative information has changed when it has not changed. This is why I thought it was a scam!
John
CRA and Service Canada could really benefit from usability focus groups for their website, emails, phone tree, contact page, and forms.
Most are awkward at best. Often frustrating, time consuming, and hard to understand. And, as in this case, clearly misleading. This reminds me of some simple English grammar lessons from grades 7, 8, and 9 with misleading word order, phrase order, and punctuation.
Laughable if it were not so clearly alarming to our clients and so wasteful of our time. Even worse, giving the illusion that we did something unauthorized and wrong. I give this effort a FAIL.
Me too - I am moving the office after tax season and had to log in to my eFile profile to make sure I hadn’t changed my address yet.
Total waste of time all around.