Taxpayers also reminded about the office’s Find My Refund online feature.
Tax season is well underway, and with the documents and number-crunching come con artists looking to steal your money. Illinois Comptroller Suzanna Mendoza reminds people to protect your personal information. Scammers often use the tax season to take advantage of people.
Most commonly, con artists will pose as an IRS employee, contacting people by text, email or phone and asking for personal information or even offering a refund. Some calls may be threatening, saying the taxpayer needs to send money right away or click on a link to correct a problem on their return. The IRS’ preferred method of communication is mail through the USPS so be suspicious of any other contact.
What’s even scarier is that scammers are now using AI to replicate the voice of a trusted accountant or tax preparer so if you feel like something is off, ask that person a few questions since AI responses are limited in nature.
Other scams include:
• The “new client” scam in which fraudsters posing as potential clients email tax preparers and try to get them to click on a malicious link. Just like individuals, businesses should be wary of any suspicious looking emails and links.
• Smishing occurs when con artists send a text reading something like “your account has now been put on hold," or "unusual activity report," and will include a fake “solutions" link to restore the recipient's account.
• IRS telephone scams, where impersonators commonly target recent immigrants and those with limited English proficiency. The con artist will call and threaten arrest or deportation if payment is not made in the form of a gift card or wire transfer. If you truly owe money, the IRS will first mail you a bill.
“Remember, neither the state nor the federal government will call taxpayers, threatening them and demanding payment via a wire transfer, credit, debit or gift card,” says Comptroller Mendoza. “That’s a sure sign of a scam.”
Any tax-related questions can be directed to the Illinois Department of Revenue. The deadline to file income taxes is Tuesday, April 15, 2024.
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