It’s true: tax scams proliferate during the income tax filing season. This year’s season opens on Jan. 31. The IRS provides the following scam warnings so you can protect yourself and avoid becoming a victim of these crimes:
• Be vigilant of any unexpected communication purportedly from the IRS at the start of tax season.
• Don’t fall for phone and phishing email scams that use the IRS as a lure. Thieves often pose as the IRS using a bogus refund scheme or warnings to pay past-due taxes.
• The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of e-communication, such as text messages and social media channels.
• The IRS doesn’t ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential information for credit card, bank or other accounts.
• If you get an unexpected email, don’t open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the email to [email protected]. For more about how to report phishing scams involving the IRS visit the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.
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