Tax season is here along with the scammers trying to take your money! There are many ways they are doing this, so please read all the different approaches they are using and then forward this newsletter on to your family and friends for them to take precautions too. For those of you with a refund coming, file early! For those of you that owe taxes, you are off the hook this year but there are thousands of other scams and threats out there for me to tell you about each week so read each newsletter carefully.
Emails and text messages may look legitimate with the mention of a “tax rebate” or “refund payment.” But no matter what the text says, it’s a scammer trying to get your information through a technique called “phishing” (for more information, see the US Federal Trade Commission website: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/small-businesses/cybersecurity/phishing).
If you click on a link to claim “your refund,” you’re exposing yourself to identity theft (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-identity-theft) or malware (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-remove-avoid-malware) that the scammer could install on your phone or computer.
If someone contacts you about a refund or tax rebate:
- Know that the IRS won’t email, text, or call you for the first time. They’ll always start by sending you a letter. If you want to confirm, call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040.
- Never click on links in unexpected emails or texts.
- Find the status of any pending refund on the IRS official website. Visit Where’s My Refund (https://www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund).
- Report unsolicited texts or emails claiming to be the IRS. Forward a screenshot or the email as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov.
If you clicked a link in one of these text or emails and shared personal information, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov (https://identitytheft.gov/) to get a customized recovery plan based on what information you shared.