How Not to Become a Tax Spam Victim – Quick Tips
With the opening of tax filing, IRS warned tax payers to be wary of tax scams. Many surveys suggest that an upsurge in scam cases happen just at the start of the tax filing season. IRS recently issued some tips and advices for filing returns to help tax payers to protect themselves from such scams. Take a quick look –
You Sure it’s from IRS?
• IRS never communicates via call, e-mail or social media channels. It might sound a little retro, but they usually communicate by snail mail.
• If IRS owes you a refund, they will not ask for your additional information, as they have it already.
• The IRS never asks for confidential information related to your credit card or bank accounts.
Do’s and Dont’s of Handling Spams
• If you receive a mail from the IRS at the start of the tax filing, you should not show haste in reverting without assuring the genuineness of the source.
• Get your computer installed with quality anti-spyware protection. This becomes all the more important if you choose to file your tax online. You also need to protect your passwords by changing them once in a while.
• Don’t fall for tax preparation companies offering their services at too-good-to-be-true prices. Always check the credibility of the company before making a choice. After all, it is sensitive information that you are sharing.
• Until you are very sure that the mail you received is really from IRS, do not click on the given links or download any attachments.
• Be careful whenever you are asked for your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). It is not wise to give it away or carry it casually.
• Try to check your credit report periodically (at least once in a year). The best time to do it is before filing the taxes.
• Avoid giving personal and financial information over the phone unless you are on the calling end and certain of the recipient’s identity.
• Reporting tax scams is easy as a pie. You just have to forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. For more information, you can visit IRS website.
With a little effort, you can learn to spot a scam and take apt measures promptly. These handy tips can go a long way to help you keeping tax –time scams at bay, once and for all.
Happy Tax Filing!