Tax season is well upon us. In addition to the stress and strain of tax return filings and deadlines, we must all be aware of the various scams associated with tax season.
Phone Scams
These scams involve a phone call from an alleged IRS agent/New York State agent advising that you have either back taxes due or, in a new quickly growing scam, you have received an erroneous tax refund and the caller is asking you for an immediate payment or turnover of bank account information in order to avoid penalties and interest. These calls are quite shocking and intimidating (I received one myself) and the average law-abiding citizen may easily feel threatened enough to want to resolve this issue through immediate payment.
E-Mail Scam
Bogus e-mails are being sent to consumers that look and sound very official with all the hallmarks of authority from the IRS. Never click on a link from a source you do not know, no matter how official it looks.
Rule of Thumb
The IRS always and only communicates via regular mail first. Any unexpected phone call, text message or e-mail is simply a scam.
Please be vigilant and careful and share this information with your family and friends. As always, contact us if you have any questions. Our Elder Law and Estate Planning attorneys are always available to address your questions and concerns.