Scams To Watch Out For This Tax Season

Many people fall victim to tax frauds every year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has tips to help you stay protected this tax season.

1. The IRS will not contact you via email, text or through social media channels. If someone claiming to be the IRS is trying to communicate with you this way, it's a scam.

2. File your taxes as early as you can. Only one tax return can be filed and accepted on your behalf. If you file first, a hacker can't file for you later.

3. The IRS doesn't accept payments in the form of gift cards. If someone is requesting you to make a payment this way, it's a scam.

4. The IRS warns you should be on alert for emails that look like they're coming from your tax service or professional. Hackers sometimes pose as representatives from your tax service.

5. The IRS does not threaten, intimidate or bully people. If these things are happening, it's a huge red flag that a scam is taking place.

Scams to look out for include; scams targeting students and parents demanding payment, pretending to be from the tax preparation industry, FBI themed ransomware scams, last-minute email scams and automated calls asking for IRS payment via gift cards.

If you think you might be a victim of tax fraud, you can report any suspicious activity to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484. You can report email scams to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.