There are several tools out there to make tax filing as easy as possible:
If you or a loved one are having issues with the IRS, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office. My team is here to help.
With tax season underway, cyber criminals are looking for an opportunity to steal your personal information and credentials. I want to share some common tactics to watch for this year:
Email/Text Messages
The IRS warns that cyber criminals may send you an email using the IRS logo with subject lines like “Action Required: Your account has now been put on hold.” It asks people to click to update their account immediately or they will be barred from filing tax returns.
However, the IRS does not send emails or text messages. If you receive an email or text from the IRS, it is a scam. The IRS also will not send taxpayers messages via social media platforms.
Phone
Another common scam is when someone calls you pretending to be an IRS agent. The phone call may be about a real or false tax payment, and the caller will threaten you with arrest if you don't pay them immediately. Criminals can fake or "spoof" caller ID numbers to appear to be anywhere in the country, including from an IRS office, so they can appear to be a legitimate source. It is important to note that the IRS does not leave pre-recorded, urgent, or threatening messages.
Robocalls pose serious threats to American consumers. That's why I've introduced legislation, the DO NOT Call Act, to hold robocallers accountable with stricter penalties.
Video
Scammers are also using phishing by video, also known as Vishing, to try to steal personal information. Cyber criminals will pretend to offer a helping hand by posing as someone from a "tax help center" hoping to schedule a video counseling session about your tax debt.
Safety Tips
- Cyber criminals attempt to come across as trusted sources, so the best advice is to be careful and pay attention to anything that seems out of the ordinary or suspicious.
- Your safest option is to directly call your bank or the IRS before you click on any links or provide any personal information regarding your finances.
- If you’re using a tax service, be sure to do some research to ensure the service is legitimate.
- If you feel you have been targeted using an IRS scam tactic, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting.
For more tips and information from the North Carolina Department of Justice on scams and frauds to watch out for, click here.
If you need help accessing resources or assistance from the federal government, including from the IRS, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. You can send me an email through my website or call my Raleigh office at (919) 334-0840. For updates on my work on behalf of our community, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @RepDeborahRoss.
