Tax Time Means Scam Time

For those of you living in the USA, it’s tax time. And tax time means scam time. This time of year is prime time for scammers, con artists, and criminals looking for easy money.

We want to help keep you safe from these predators. So, we’ve made a simple list of things to watch for, and if you follow these rules, you’ll never get scammed:

1. No, that email is NOT from the IRS. The IRS is not going to send you an email out of the blue. Repeat. The IRS is not going to send you an email out of the blue. They’re not going to ask for your social security number or your bank account number in an email. Period.
2. The IRS isn’t going to contact you on Facebook.The IRS is not going to contact you via social media. They’re not going to contact you via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
3. The IRS isn’t going to call you out of the blue and ask you for personal information. Trust us. If you live in the USA and file taxes, the IRS has more than enough personal information about you.

Here are some suggestions from the IRS to help keep you safe:

If you receive an email claiming to be from the IRS that contains a request for personal information, taxes associated with a large investment, inheritance or lottery.

1. Don’t reply.
2. Don’t open any attachments. They can contain malicious code that may infect your computer or mobile phone.
3. Don’t click on any links. Visit our identity protection page if you clicked on links in a suspicious email or website and entered confidential information.
4. Forward the email as-is to us at phishing@irs.gov. Don’t forward scanned images because this removes valuable information.
5. Delete the original email.

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS :

1. Record the employee’s name, badge number, call back number and caller ID if available.
2. Call 1-800-366-4484 to determine if the caller is an IRS employee with a legitimate need to contact you.
3. If the person calling you is an IRS employee, call them back.
4. If not, report the incident to TIGTA and to us at phishing@irs.gov (Subject: ‘IRS Phone Scam’)

You can get these and more tips from the IRS here.

Don’t be a victim this tax season. We hope this information helps keep you safe!