Stop Tax Identity Theft in Its Tracks
Imagine after sending in your annual tax return, you receive a notice from the Internal Revenue Service saying that another return has already been filed using your name and Social Security number—and claiming a refund. Sound impossible? It can happen if you become one of a growing number of victims of tax return identity theft. According to one estimate, tax-related identity theft cases have soared more than 650% since 2008. At the least, this crime can lead to a delay in your refund, but the consequences may be much more serious. In addition, you may face a larger problem with identify theft if the scammer is also running up credit card debt or taking out loans in your name.
To avoid becoming a victim, we recommend steps such as safeguarding your Social Security number and other financial information, keeping an eye on changes to your credit ratings and taking precautions with electronic transfers of confidential information. Be sure to contact us if you believe you have been a victim of identity theft or would like advice on the best ways to secure your financial information.
Beware of Tax Scams!
Did you know that con artists posing as Internal Revenue Service representatives frequently try to scam people out of their money? While this is a long-standing problem, the IRS has issued a new warning against thieves who may contact people on the phone or via email or a letter and try to trick them into divulging personal financial information, such as their Social Security or bank account numbers, or sending cash. And the scams can be tough to spot. Potential victims may see a fake caller ID that identifies the call as coming from the IRS or receive mail or email that appears to have the IRS letterhead or one like this that resembles the IRS website. The scammers typically try to intimidate victims into acting quickly—by, say, sending a payment to what they claim is an IRS address—by threatening arrest or some other consequence.
If you receive an IRS communication that seems suspicious or doesn’t make sense, please call our office. Whether you are facing a legitimate tax issue or a scam, we can help you sort through the details and determine how to respond. You can report incidents to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484 or online. Remember, too, that the IRS website is www.irs.gov, so be on alert if you’re directed to another similar site that ends in .com or .net instead of .gov.
Imagine after sending in your annual tax return, you receive a notice from the Internal Revenue Service saying that another return has already been filed using your name and Social Security number—and claiming a refund. Sound impossible? It can happen if you become one of a growing number of victims of tax return identity theft. According to one estimate, tax-related identity theft cases have soared more than 650% since 2008. At the least, this crime can lead to a delay in your refund, but the consequences may be much more serious. In addition, you may face a larger problem with identify theft if the scammer is also running up credit card debt or taking out loans in your name.
To avoid becoming a victim, we recommend steps such as safeguarding your Social Security number and other financial information, keeping an eye on changes to your credit ratings and taking precautions with electronic transfers of confidential information. Be sure to contact us if you believe you have been a victim of identity theft or would like advice on the best ways to secure your financial information.
Beware of Tax Scams!
Did you know that con artists posing as Internal Revenue Service representatives frequently try to scam people out of their money? While this is a long-standing problem, the IRS has issued a new warning against thieves who may contact people on the phone or via email or a letter and try to trick them into divulging personal financial information, such as their Social Security or bank account numbers, or sending cash. And the scams can be tough to spot. Potential victims may see a fake caller ID that identifies the call as coming from the IRS or receive mail or email that appears to have the IRS letterhead or one like this that resembles the IRS website. The scammers typically try to intimidate victims into acting quickly—by, say, sending a payment to what they claim is an IRS address—by threatening arrest or some other consequence.
If you receive an IRS communication that seems suspicious or doesn’t make sense, please call our office. Whether you are facing a legitimate tax issue or a scam, we can help you sort through the details and determine how to respond. You can report incidents to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484 or online. Remember, too, that the IRS website is www.irs.gov, so be on alert if you’re directed to another similar site that ends in .com or .net instead of .gov.
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