‘Scam alert’: Fraudsters utilizing Ontario’s $200 rebate, government warns

The Ontario government is informing astir a scam involving the $200 rebate cheques it has sent to eligible Ontarians.

The government’s rebate webpage showed Tuesday a “scam alert” involving the cheques, which began arriving successful the message past period to each adults successful the state who had completed taxation returns for themselves and their children.

On its webpage, the authorities said the rebates are being paid by cheque only, and it would lone interaction Ontarians straight successful effect to a question oregon query astir the outgo they initiated.

“It volition not proactively interaction you by text, email, oregon telephone to inquire for idiosyncratic accusation (for example, Social Insurance Number (SIN), slope relationship information, wellness information),” the authorities said.

“Offer you wealth oregon a reward, oregon motion you up for a rebate program.”

The authorities announced the rebate cheques arsenic portion of the autumn economical connection released successful October, which critics decried arsenic a cash-grab up of a then-rumored aboriginal election.

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PC Leader Doug Ford called that aboriginal predetermination past month, and Ontarians volition ballot connected Feb. 27.

The rebate argumentation is expected to outgo the authorities astir $3 billion, and volition spot wealth sent to astir 12.5 cardinal adults and 2.5 cardinal children.

The authorities said past period wealth for the argumentation was raised predominantly done changes made by the national authorities to the superior gains tax, which Ford said helium was “not successful favour” of.

Over 3 years, Ontario expects superior gains taxation changes to bring successful $3.3 cardinal — the bulk of which volition beryllium spent up of clip connected rebate cheques.

— with files from Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello