As a new tax season ramps up, keep in mind that scammers will be ramping up their efforts to steal YOUR money. The scams come in different forms: phishing emails, harassing phone calls, and tax return identity theft.

Here are some steps to help keep your identity and money safe:

• File taxes early to avoid scammers
• Be cautious about tax-related emails. Do not use links within the email.  Instead, go to the IRS website for relevant information
• Hang up on IRS impersonator phone calls
• Report suspicious emails or phone calls ASAP
• Shred bank and tax documents before throwing them away
• Update your computer security software

The IRS offers an option called Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) that assigns a unique six-digit code to eligible taxpayers that helps limit fraudulent tax returns. There is more information available at www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin.

Here are some reminders about the IRS. They will NEVER:

• call about past taxes without having mailed several notices first
• call to demand payment with threats to involve law enforcement and have you arrested
• call or email asking you to divulge personal and/or financial information
• require payment without allowing you to appeal or even question the amount due
• require you to use a specific payment method like a pre-paid debit card
• ask for your credit/debit card and/or bank information over the phone

If you receive any IRS-related scam communication, please report to Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at www.treasury.gov/tigta/ and to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

(Information courtesy Council on Aging)

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), tech support schemes are on the rise and 66% of all reports from 2020 were from older adults 60+. In this instance, criminals may pose as a company’s representatives offering to help with issues regarding your bank account, email, or computer software.

The FBI reports that the first contact can occur in many different ways.

• Telephone: You receive an unsolicited telephone call from a criminal impersonating computer support, bank representatives/support, and utility companies.
• Search Engine Advertising: Don’t search online to find support numbers, visit the company’s direct website. Criminals pay to have their fraudulent company’s link show higher in search results hoping victims will choose one of the top links in search results.
• Pop-up message: When an on-screen pop-up message claiming a virus was found on their computer. The message requests the victim call a phone number associated with the fraudulent tech support company.
• Email: You receive an email warning of support subscription expiration or a potentially fraudulent charge on their account. The victim is encouraged to contact the fraudulent support via phone.

Tips to Protect Against Tech Support

• Legitimate customer, security, or tech support companies will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals; nor, demand immediate payment, or require payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, or mailed cash.
• Install ad-blocking software that eliminates or reduces pop-ups and mal-vertising, which are online ads that incorporate or install malware. Ensure all computer anti-virus, security, and malware protection is up to date.
• Be cautious of customer support numbers obtained via open-source searching. Phone numbers listed in a “sponsored” results section might be boosted because of Search Engine Advertising.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Criminals will urge the victim to act fast to protect their device. Legitimate companies will allow time for a person to process and research any questions.
• Never give unknown, unverified persons remote access to devices or accounts.

(Information courtesy Council on Aging)