Photo: The Canadian Press

A North Vancouver man is out $3,000 after he was tax-scammed.

RCMP say the man received a phone call from an alleged employee of Canada Revenue Agency on Jan. 18.

The caller told the victim he owed $8,000 in unpaid taxes, and if not paid immediately, he would go to jail. 

The victim was also threatened that police would show up at his home if he hung up or didn't pay the money.

The scammer then told the man to pay whatever he could that day, which was $3,000, by using a Bitcoin terminal. The victim was then given a Bitcoin reference code.

It was only after the transfer was made, the victim realized he had been scammed.

RCMP are reminding the public that tax time is coming up, and scammers will use creative ways to separate you from your money if you allow them.

The "CRA will not contact you by phone and threaten or coerce you into paying a tax bill," cautioned Cpl. Richard De Jong of the North Vancouver RCMP. "Also, the CRA does not accept Bitcoin as a method of payment."