Surprise! These emails about returning CERB payments aren't scams

Recipients noticed what seemed like red flags as soon as they opened the emails from Service Canada, demanding repayment of pandemic benefits.

The government logo looked strange, or was broken. The text was grey, instead of the black typically used in official government correspondence. Some were written in French first, followed by English, which to many seemed unusual.

"You were paid more benefits than the amount for first you were eligible," said one such email, seen by CBC News. 

There was a link and a 1-800 number.

Some immediately dismissed it as another scam by fraudsters purporting to be from a government agency.

Others discussed the emails online, recounting attempts to get straight answers from Service Canada. One recipient claimed an agent hung up on them when they called to ask. 

On Twitter and Reddit, they said the formatting looked vastly different from government correspondence they'd received in the past. One wrote that the government logo looked "horrible," as if it had been made with the no-frills app MS Paint. 

Others thought it was suspicious to be contacted via email, rather than a secure message.

More than 100 people reported the emails to the national fraud watchdog.

But Service Canada says the emails are no hoax, and those who receive them really do have to pay up.

The agency uses the email address in question — EI-AE.ServiceCanada@canada.gc.ca — to contact people about employment insurance and emergency benefits. It has sent 26.2 million emails about the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which the government launched in March 2020 for workers who were laid off or had their hours cut significantly during lockdowns.

It's not clear how many variations of the repayment letter have gone out. 

Some emails seen by CBC News say recipients must repay a portion of their CERB, but don't state how much.

Recipients are told to call a 1-800 number or click a link to share information "that could modify our decision and impact the amount you owe" within 30 days. After that, the email says, they will receive a letter in the mail detailing their debt and how to repay it.