Guide · Comox Valley
Is this text from Canada Post or CRA a scam?
A text says a parcel is waiting, or a tax refund is on the way, with a link to tap. Scam texts like this land on phones in Courtenay, Comox and everywhere else. Here is how to check safely, without tapping anything.
Last updated:
Quick answer: A surprise text with a link that claims to be from Canada Post or the CRA is very likely a scam. Don't tap the link, and don't reply. Check by going to the real website or app yourself.
Do it yourself
What to do
Don't tap the link or reply
Scam texts are built to make you act fast. Take a breath. Nothing real is lost by waiting a few minutes while you check.
Look for the usual warning signs
A link you weren't expecting. A message that sounds urgent or threatening. A small fee to release or redeliver a parcel. A refund you weren't expecting. A request for gift cards, cryptocurrency or payment in a hurry. Spelling mistakes, or a number you don't recognise.
Check on your own
If you're expecting a parcel, use the tracking number from the seller on the carrier's real website, typed into your browser by you, or in the carrier's official app. For anything about taxes, type canada.ca into your browser yourself and sign in to CRA My Account. Never use the link in the text.
Report it, then delete it
Forward the text to 7726 (it spells SPAM). Most Canadian mobile providers accept this. Then delete the text and block the number. You can also report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
If you already tapped it
Don't panic, and don't enter anything more. If you typed a password, change it on the real website right away. If you shared card or banking details, call your bank or card company on the number printed on your card. If you gave out a one-time code, contact the company it belongs to.
Seen in the Comox Valley
The RCMP has warned about callers posing as Microsoft, Amazon or a bank who ask people to install remote-access apps, such as AnyDesk, so they can take over the computer. If a call like that comes in:
- Hang up.
- Never install anything a caller asks you to.
- Call your bank on the number printed on your card, not a number the caller gives you.
Know when to stop
Signs it's time to get help
- You tapped the link and entered a password, card number or personal details
- The phone or computer started acting differently after you tapped a link
- Someone called or texted again, pressing you to pay or to install something
- You're being asked to let someone take control of your computer
- You're not sure whether a message is real and would like a second opinion
Need a hand?
Or we can do it for you
Call or text and describe what happened in your own words. Help comes to your home or business in Courtenay and across the Comox Valley, with an estimate before the visit. Most home visits fall between $79.99 and $159.99. Remote help only ever starts when you contact Local Tech Solutions first. Nobody from Local Tech Solutions will call out of the blue asking to get into your computer.
Questions
Quick answers
Can I trust a text just because it looks official?
No. Anyone can copy a logo and official-sounding wording. A text that arrives out of the blue with a link and a deadline deserves caution, whoever it claims to be from. Check using a website or app you open yourself.
What if I'm really expecting a parcel?
Use the tracking number from the seller on the carrier's real website, typed in by you. Don't use any link in the text.
Is it safe to just delete the text?
Yes. Deleting it and blocking the number is safe. Reporting it first helps other people, but you don't have to.
I tapped the link. What now?
Don't enter anything more. Change any password you typed, call your bank if you shared card details, and get help if the device is acting oddly. The steps above go through it.
- Updated October 2026: added a "Seen in the Comox Valley" section on remote-access scam calls
- Updated October 2026: first published