Is CRA Contacting Companies By Email & Cell Phone For An SR&ED Update?

Since the start of COVID-19, there have been many changes to filing, submitting and contacting CRA for an update on your companies SR&ED claim. The same can now be said when CRA is contacting your company for a financial or technical update. The difference is, how do you know it is in fact CRA contacting you and not a scam?

We at Braithwaite Canada have had many clients of ours being contacted recently by CRA for their SR&ED claim. The new forms of communication have been by cell phone and by email. To verify in both instances that this is a legitimate CRA communication, please verify the following:

• By cell phone; the CRA reviewer will provide their full name as well as their CRA ID Number
• By email; the CRA reviewer will have their full CRA signature at the bottom of the email, which will include all of their contact details

In both instances, if these are not provided, please do not provide any information to the person that contacted you. Even if you are contacted with the proper verification and are unsure to discuss information with the person, please contact your technical consultant right away, so they can verify if this is a legitimate request.

Braithwaite Canada will continue to monitor any new forms of communication CRA may provide to an SR&ED request.