Tag Archive for: IRS

Tax Time Scams: Beware of ‘Accidental’ Deposits from the IRS

“YEAH for tax time!” – Said no one ever.

After years of agonizing tax preparation, you might think the universe is finally in your favor when you notice a surprise $20,000 pop up in your bank account. But before you book that vacation to Ibiza or run to the car dealership, pause and remember what you know to be true: If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Tax fraudsters will steal your personal information (typically from your tax accountant) and create fake documents that they submit to the IRS to ensure a hefty refund is deposited in your account. They then call or email you to let you know about this “mistake” and ask you to deposit the money back into an “IRS Collection Company” account. They will also pepper in threats like money penalties or jail time to try to get you to act as soon as possible before you can rationally assess the situation.

The first step to protect yourself against tax time scams is to make sure your tax accountant has the highest level of security for client information. It’s okay to ask questions about their cybersecurity and physical document security. An email or call leading with, “I heard about this scam and it just got me curious about your security protocols” is completely appropriate. After all, they work for YOU!

If you see the shady deposit in your account, call your bank immediately and they can help you navigate the situation. If the bank representative doesn’t advise you to close the account, do it anyway. Your information has been successfully stolen and you don’t want to chance it happening again. Yes, it’s an inconvenience, but it’s necessary for your safety and peace of mind.

The last tip to remember – and one that is vital to share with your loved ones, co-workers, etc. – is:

THE IRS WILL NEVER COMMUNICATE WITH YOU BY EMAIL OR PHONE.

All communication from the IRS is sent via direct mail. So, if someone from the IRS calls you, HANG UP! If they email you, SEND IT TO SPAM! If they text you, BLOCK THE NUMBER!

Most of us have the intuition to not be rude – especially to a government agency who can uproot your life – but when you are steadfast in your knowledge knowing how the IRS communicates, you will have confidence to make the right decision in these moments that raise our blood pressure and make it hard to think clearly.

These tax time scams prey on our fears of not being in good standing with the United States Government. But what these scammers aren’t taking into account is that your knowledge equals power and protection from their nonsense. Here’s a video about Hanging Up on IRS Phone Scammers. Stay safe, informed and, “Happy Tax Season!” – Said no one ever.

 

John Sileo is a privacy keynote speaker, award-winning author and media personality as seen all over TV. He keynotes conferences virtually and in person around the world. John is the CEO of The Sileo Group, a business think tank based in Colorado.

Coronavirus Scammers User Fake Sites to Steal Your Stimulus

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Coronavirus Scammers Are After Your Stimulus Check

Scammers and cybercriminals love to exploit the headlines. COVID-19 isn’t the only pandemic affecting Americans – so are the scams that go along with it.

Case in point: stimulus checks that will help Americans weather the COVID-19 pandemic are already being targeted by scammers, who take advantage of the confusion and disinformation surrounding the rollout of the relief funds. They know how easy it is to profit from crisis.

The IRS set up an Economic Impact Payment website to enable Americans to claim and track their stimulus checks, and will mail or directly deposit the payments. Unfortunately, scammers have quickly designed more than 4,000 similar websites to try to skim payments from unsuspecting citizens.

IRS Stimulus Check Scams (Economic Impact Payments)

  • Some coronavirus scammers may be after the payments themselves, while others are using the opportunity to get valuable personal information, like bank account numbers
  • There has been a 6,000% increase in spam emails related to COVID-19 since early March, with many of these emails aimed at stealing the IRS checks.
  • 4,000 new websites related to the stimulus checks created since January. The websites are set up to either look like the IRS or banks, with hackers trying to trick individuals into disclosing their financial information.

How to Protect Your Economic Impact Payment Stimulus Check

  • Be extra wary of all stimulus-related emails, calls, and texts. The IRS will never contact you by phone, email, text message, or social media. Only use irs.gov/coronavirus to submit information to the IRS – and never in response to a call, text, or email.
  • Check the language. Stimulus payments aren’t actually called “stimulus checks,”— official term is “economic impact payment.” So if you get an email, call or text using the unofficial language of “stimulus check,” it’s a tip-off that the message isn’t legit
  • Watch for your receipt. Whether you receive your payment via direct deposit or as a paper check through snail mail, the IRS will also send you a letter in the mail 15 days later letting you know that the payment was sent. The agency won’t be hounding you or anyone else over the phone, email or text about it. That letter is useful because it serves as official verification that your stimulus payment was sent out. If you get one after receiving your payment, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. But if you get one before your payment arrives, it’s a sign that you might be the victim of fraud.