Tax Season is Prime Time for Criminals

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023 -- 8:09 AM

(WBAY) Tax season is prime time for criminals. They’ll impersonate the IRS with aggressive calls and messages to steal your money or personal information.

The IRS says thousands of people have lost millions of dollars to tax scams. “Scammers are good at creating urgency,” says Heidi Kieker, fraud officer, Fox Communities Credit Union. Kieker says it is important to recognize the warning signs.

“The IRS doesn’t contact you by phone. They don’t email you. Typically, they email you a letter,” says Kieker. “So if you get a phone call, you get a text, you get an email that should cause you to pause to be a warning flag to get you to say, ‘I don’t know, that doesn’t seem like a communication method that the IRS would use,’” says Kieker.

The IRS says scammers will modify legitimate IRS letters and forms. The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office posted a warning on Facebook about scammers using national companies like Uber and Lyft and replicating paperwork.

If you work for a rideshare or delivery service, make sure you’re communicating with the actual company. Never give your social security number or personal information by email or phone if someone claims to need it for a W2.

The IRS says it sends letters and notices only. Agents do not call, text, or use social media to gather or confirm your financial or personal information. If you get an email claiming to be from the IRS, don’t open it.

Report the email to the IRS at [email protected]. File early so scammers don’t have an opportunity to file on your behalf and steal your refund from the IRS.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.