As a new tax season begins, keep in mind scammers will be revving up their efforts to steal YOUR money. The scams come in different forms: phishing emails, harassing phone calls, and tax return identity theft.
Here are some steps to help keep your identity and money safe:
- File taxes early to avoid scammers
- Be cautious about tax-related emails. Do not use links within the email. Instead, go to the IRS website for relevant information
- Hang up on IRS impersonator phone calls
- Report suspicious emails or phone calls ASAP
- Shred bank and tax documents before throwing them away
- Update your security software
- call about past taxes without having mailed several notices first
- call to demand payment with threats to involve law enforcement and have you arrested
- call or email asking you to divulge personal and/or financial information
- require payment without allowing you to appeal or even question the amount due
- require you to use a specific payment method like a pre-paid debit card
- ask for your credit/debit card and/or bank information over the phone
