Be On High Alert: Avoiding Tax Season Scams

Article | January 08, 2025

Scammers often masquerade as reputable organizations such as the IRS, Social Security Administration, Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, or even local hospitals and doctors. If you receive an unexpected message, always verify the sender’s identity by asking for their name, badge number or employee ID number, office location, and contact number. Let them know you’ll contact their main office to confirm their identity and use the official contact information from the organization’s website to verify their details.  As tax season kicks into gear, it’s essential to stay vigilant and protect yourself from a barrage of scams. Be wary of any unexpected emails, text messages, social media messages, or phone calls, particularly those that: 

Be suspicious of any unexpected email, text message, social media message, or phone call, especially if they:

• Come from an unknown number or person
• Need an urgent response
• Ask for sensitive information or money
• Contain a link to click on
• Have poor spelling and grammar
• Offer free prizes or gift cards

Scammers often impersonate:

• The IRS
• The Social Security Agency
• The Postal Service
• UPS
• FedEx
• Hospitals and doctors

If you get an unexpected message, ask the sender for their name, badge number or employee ID number, office location, and phone number. Then let them know you are going to contact their main office and verify their identity. Hang up and use the information on the agency or company’s official website to call and verify those details.

Scammers will also impersonate close friends or loved ones who:

• Can’t use their normal phone
• Are in trouble
• Need money fast
• Ask you not to tell anyone else in the family

Ask for a way to call them back, then hang up and call their normal their normal phone number or ask another close relative of theirs.

Don’t fall for their tricks!

Check out this IRS webpage for more information on common tax scams and how to protect yourself: https://www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams

01/07/2024- Gatlin Hawkins, Isler Partner, CPA, CFE