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You Could Be Owed Up to $5,000: The CRA Data Breach Settlement, Explained

  August 21, 2026 If you had a Government of Canada online account back in 2020, it's worth five minutes to check whether you're eligible for a payout. Claims are now open in an $8.7-million federal settlement tied to a wave of 2020 cyberattacks on Canada Revenue Agency and other Government of Canada accounts. If your CRA My Account, My Service Canada Account, or another GCKey-linked account was compromised, you may be entitled to compensation — in some cases, up to $5,000. Here's what happened, who qualifies, and exactly how to file before the deadline. What happened Between June and August 2020, hackers used "credential stuffing" — testing stolen usernames and passwords from other data leaks against government login pages — to break into thousands of Government of Canada online accounts. In some cases, attackers viewed confidential personal and financial information; in others, they used stolen access to file fraudulent claims for pandemic-era benefits like CERB...
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CRA Scam Alerts: Protect Yourself Against Fraud


The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is regularly made aware of scams impersonating the CRA. Stay up-to-date with the CRA’s scam alert to help avoid scams that may target you. If you suspect you may be a victim of a scam, visit the section What to do if you experience a CRA scam or fraud.

In an effort to prevent you from falling prey to these cons, the CRA has some examples of scams targeting taxpayers:

  • Climate action incentive payment scam by text message: Scammers are sending text messages claiming to be from the CRA about the Climate Action Incentive Payment. How to recognize it: Fraudulent text messages claiming to be from the CRA containing a link to claim the Climate Action Incentive Payment. Some text messages include images taken from Government of Canada social media accounts to make their scam messages look more legitimate. What to do: Do not click on the link or reply to the text message. The CRA will not use text messages or instant messages to start a conversation about your taxes, benefits, or My Account. The CRA will not ask you by email or text message to click a link and provide personal or bank information to receive a benefit payment.
  • Emergency or disaster benefit scams by text message or email: Scammers are sending text messages or emails to those impacted by emergencies or disasters. How to recognize it: Fraudulent messages claiming to be from the CRA about emergency benefits and containing a link. What to do: Do not click the link or reply to the message. The CRA will not use text messages or instant messages to start a conversation about your taxes, benefits, or My Account. The CRA will not ask you by email or text message to click a link and provide: personal information, bank information.
  • Grocery Rebate scam by email or text message: Scammers are sending emails or text messages claiming to be from the CRA about the Grocery Rebate. How to recognize it: The fraudulent email or text message claims to be from the CRA and contains a link. What to do: Do not reply to the email or text or click the link. The Grocery Rebate will be delivered to eligible individuals after enactment of the legislation. The CRA will not ask you by text message or email for: personal information, bank information.

If you suspect that you may be the victim of a scam or fraud or have been tricked into giving personal or financial information, contact your local police service.

What to do if you’re a victim of a scam

Here are the steps to take if you are a victim of a scam or fraud and believe your CRA account information has been compromised:

  1. Contact your financial institution
  2. Contact the two national credit bureaus and place a fraud alert on your credit reports
  3. Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)
  4. Change your CRA account password
  5. Review your CRA account for any changes or transactions you did not authorize


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