Family Hack of the Week

With tax season in full swing, the IRS has released its Dirty Dozen list to warn consumers of the most common scams they have encountered this season. Here are just a few to note.

The IRS will not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or text regarding a bill or refund. If you receive a suspicious IRS, Treasury or tax-related email or text, do not open any attachments, click on any links, or reply to the sender.

The IRS also warns about scammers offering people help setting up an account at IRS.gov, which is easy to do and should not require assistance. Scammers have been gaining access to people’s accounts in this manner and filing fraudulent tax returns in the victim’s name.

The IRS also warned of fake charities stealing money for relief due to an emergency or disaster. The IRS notes that pressure to donate immediately, especially by an unsolicited call or email, is a telltale sign of a scam and has led to stealing of personal and financial data used in tax-related identity theft.

The IRS also shared common warning signs of shady tax professionals, including charging a fee based on the size of the refund, refusing to sign a tax return, or asking consumers to sign a blank return.