As tax day nears, experts say be wary of scams
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The last day for people to file their taxes is Tuesday, April 18.
According to the IRS, thousands of people lose millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams each year.
Some things to be aware of to ensure you don't become a victim of a tax scam include knowing that the IRS will never try to contact you by email, text message or social media to request your personal or financial information. To know for sure that it is the IRS contacting you, you should look for regular mail delivered through the United States Postal Office, according to the IRS.
Amanda Ancell, area manager of Jackson Hewitt, said that if you aren't about a letter, you can always bring it to a local tax office.
"If you have a question about it, take it to a local tax office, we can help you figure out if it's a legitimate letter or if it's something else," Ancell said.
She also noted that waiting, instead of immediately taking action after believing that someone could potentially be scamming you is the worst thing you can do."
"If it is a scam, you're leaving yourself open... just don't give out any information over the phone," Ancell said.
The Better Business Bureau offers tips on its website to help you avoid being scammed.
According to Ancell, the age group that is most likely to become a victim of a tax scam is minors. This is because they typically shop online, which is why she said it's in your best interest to monitor what your children do online.
"That's the biggest concern I would have right now is just protecting your kids identity and making sure that they're not online shopping," Ancell said. "Giving them maybe a prepaid debit card if you wanna let them do some online shopping"
If you're looking for a way to protect your information, you can request an identity protection pin from the IRS. This is a six digit pin that would have to be entered every year when you go to file your taxes. Meaning, that someone who does not know the pin would not be able to access your account.
If you do become a victim of a tax scam, it is recommended you contact the IRS at 1-800-908-4490.
If you've had your identity stolen, you'll likely have to mail in a tax return and prove your identity to the IRS. The quickest way you can do that is though the IRS.
