Tax Scams

It's April, and we all know what that means—it's tax time! While most of us are preparing our taxes, fraudsters are working on ways to scam people out of their money. Here are the latest scams to watch out for and ways to protect yourself.

First and foremost, it's important to know that the real IRS will not contact you by email, text message, or social media. Fraudsters commonly use these contact methods and pose as the IRS. The messages may say you have a "tax refund pending" or "tax refund e-statement" as an attempt to get your personal or financial information. Never click on links sent to you in these messages; they can put malware or ransomware on your computer or phone. To check the status of your tax return, the IRS recommends you visit https://sa.www4.irs.gov/wmr/.

Fraudsters switch up their methods to catch their potential victims off guard. They have also started mailing letters to mislead people. The letters often arrive in cardboard envelopes with the wording, "in relation to your unclaimed refund." The letter will request the recipient email or text their financial information or even send photos of their ID to receive their tax refund. Odd wording, spelling, and punctuation errors are red flags to look out for in these letters.

Another scam on the rise is "helpful" fraudsters who offer to help file your taxes for a maximum refund. This is another attempt to gain your personal and financial information and steal your identity. The fraudsters say they can set up your account on IRS.gov. However, just like your online banking, no one should ever have your IRS.gov login or be logging in for you. These scams are more often found on social media or through email. Remember: you should avoid sharing sensitive personal data over the phone, email, or social media to protect yourself.

If you think you have been a victim or attempted victim of tax fraud, please call O Bee Credit Union as soon as possible at 360.943.0740. You can also report to the Treasury Inspector General at https://www.tigta.gov/irs-scam-resources/ or email phishing@irs.gov.

Tax Scams

Tax Scams

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For Your Children

O Bee Mobile

Tax Scams

Tax Scams

Only The Best For Your Children

O Bee Mobile

Only The Best
For Your Children