CRA collect call

[Ema2000]

Hi everbody hope you doing good.

I wanted to call CRA from germany as a collect call from my mobile phone... but they charged me until i run out of money (prepaid). I was in the line but i did not speak to an agent.

I thought the call is free???
How come they charged me?

What did i do wrong... i called +1 6139408495


Thank you.

 

[steaky]

Hi everbody hope you doing good.

I wanted to call CRA from germany as a collect call from my mobile phone... but they charged me until i run out of money (prepaid). I was in the line but i did not speak to an agent.

I thought the call is free???
How come they charged me?

What did i do wrong... i called +1 6139408495


Thank you.

You should phone your cellphone service provider to check how to call collect before you dial the CRA number, otherwise it's international long distance .

 

[scylla]

Hi everbody hope you doing good.

I wanted to call CRA from germany as a collect call from my mobile phone... but they charged me until i run out of money (prepaid). I was in the line but i did not speak to an agent.

I thought the call is free???
How come they charged me?

What did i do wrong... i called +1 6139408495


Thank you.

You shouldn't have called the phone number directly. Per the CRA web site, if you want to make it a collect call, you have to place the call through a telephone operator.

 

[Naturgrl]

Hi everbody hope you doing good.

I wanted to call CRA from germany as a collect call from my mobile phone... but they charged me until i run out of money (prepaid). I was in the line but i did not speak to an agent.

I thought the call is free???
How come they charged me?

What did i do wrong... i called +1 6139408495


Thank you.

Why would CRA accept a collect call? That is not a toll free number. Toll free are 1-888 or 1-8000

 

[scylla]

Why would CRA accept a collect call? That is not a toll free number. Toll free are 1-888 or 1-8000

OP used the right number and CRA does accept collect calls. The issue is that the call must be placed through a telephone operator.

The number you are listing is the toll free number if someone is calling from Canada or the US. Doesn't apply to the OP.

 

[Naturgrl]

OP used the right number and CRA does accept collect calls. The issue is that the call must be placed through a telephone operator.

The number you are listing is the toll free number if someone is calling from Canada or the US. Doesn't apply to the OP.

So OP just called the number instead of pressing 0 and asking for an operator to make a collect call. I used to live overseas and would make collect calls to Canada all the time but through the operator.

 

[Ema2000]

0 did not work if i call from mobile phone.

 

[scylla]

0 did not work if i call from mobile phone.

You need to speak with your cell phone provider. Some cell phone providers do not allow you to make collect calls with prepaid plans.

This is not a CRA issue. You need to sort it out on your end.

 

[Ema2000]

Okay thank you

 

[steaky]

OP used the right number and CRA does accept collect calls. The issue is that the call must be placed through a telephone operator.

The number you are listing is the toll free number if someone is calling from Canada or the US. Doesn't apply to the OP.

It appears that @Naturgrl might be right too:

Calling 1 800 O-Canada from abroad

https://www.canada.ca/en/contact/international.html

 

[SeineToHumber]

You might have success calling the 1-800 number over Skype for free (no credit needed).

It works for me anyway.

 

[Ema2000]

I will try ... thanks

 

[Copingwithlife]

I will try ... thanks

Or there’s something called Google relay

When I used to take calls from overseas people would use Google relay.

I would first speak to an operator telling me a call overseas was calling and wait to be connected

 

[fraps]

Hey Ema2000, Did any of the suggestions in the comments above work for you? Im in the same situation as you and need to reach the CRA via phone. Would love to know how you managed to contact them. Thanks in advance for your update!