With Tax Day less than two weeks away, there’s more to keep in mind than just tax deadlines. Scammers are particularly active this time of the year — here’s how you can defend yourself.
Don’t Fall for These Tax Season Scams
We live in a time where criminals seem to seize every opportunity to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.
The good news is that all you need to keep scammers at bay is to pay attention to the following red flags:
- The IRS will never contact you by text message or social media. This type of message should put you on alert immediately. When the IRS needs to get in touch with you, they usually send a letter delivered by the United States Postal Service (USPS).
- The IRS will never demand you to pay a tax debt immediately or with a specific payment method. If someone tries to pressure you into making a payment in the moment, know that you are probably dealing with a scammer.
- At the end of the day, the IRS wants to make it as easy as possible for you to pay your taxes, so they offer several alternatives. When someone insists that you use a certain payment method, that’s another huge red flag.
- Remember: the IRS will NEVER ask you to pay a tax bill via gift cards.
- Also, the IRS will never threaten you to call the police or immigration authorities if you don’t settle your tax bill. This is another common tactic used by scammers to pressure people into falling for their schemes.
- The IRS will never call you unexpectedly to talk about a tax refund. If you receive this type of call ignore it and follow the instructions below to report a scam attempt.
If you receive a suspicious email, don’t click on any links and don’t download any attachments. To report the email, forward it as it is to phishing@irs.gov
For calls you believe are scam attempts, write the number down and report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax administration using this link or by phone at 800-366-4484.
Delgado’s Insurance: Taxes Made Easy
At Delgado’s Insurance, we have made it our mission to help you maximize your refund while staying compliant with all relevant laws and regulations.
We have locations in Riverside, California, and Bloomington, California. Contact us today by telephone (951-361-0084, 909-421-9003), email (mail@delgadosinsurance.com), or through our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter).
