Tax Scammers on the Rise

The Better Business Bureau says scammers targeting people filing taxes is on the rise mainly because of more online services. They warned against suspicious e-mails from agencies like the IRS.Mike Odneal from the BBB said, “the IRS just doesn’t communicate via e-mail, and if you do get an e-mail like that, certainly don’t enter your credit card information or your social security number.”However, it’s not just online filers that can be scammed. The BBB also urges people to be cautious about tax loans.Odneal said these are similar to payday loans with high interest rates and should be avoided. Ted Farnen with the Missouri Department of Revenue says victims also fall for extra costs not associated with free programs.He adds, “they’ll approach them and say, hey, I’ll file this property tax credit claim for you, but the state charges $100 dollars for us to file this, so you need to give me that $100 filing fee.”According to the Missouri Department of Revenue there isn’t a fee.Experts say just trust your gut feeling, and if it feels like a scam, then it probably is. You can contact the BBB at (573) 886-8965.