ABILENE, TX – Abilene’s Better Business Bureau is alerting all West Texans that now that income tax season is upon un, we must all be aware that the professional scammers that are working over time to steal your money. If you know what to be on the look out for you can save yourself a ton of trouble.
There are thieves that will file your taxes before you ever file your own taxes. Furthermore, they will get your tax refund check or ‘direct deposit’ long before you ever realize what happened. So, when you get ready to file, they are long gone with your refund.
The Better Business Bureau encourages everyone to file their taxes early and if you’re using a tax filing firm, always check their background and record with the Better Business Bureau before you ever divulge any information. The best way is through the BBB Scam Tracker web site.
John Riggans the Director of the Abilene Better Business Bureau says “there are many different ways that IRS scammers are working through and most of the will either call you on the phone, email you and/or text you. One thing to remember the IRS will do neither of these.
Scammers will also say that they are with the IRS and that there’s been a terrible mistake or that your refund you are getting is incorrect and if you’ll just provide them with some basic information they will fix it all for you.
The reason for the alert is because many taxpayers are calling the BBB asking if the IRS is really calling them?
Riggins says “it’s best to log into the IRS website or to contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040. However, consumers need to be vigilant to ensure that they receive legitimate advice and/or information from both agencies the Better Business Bureau or the Internal Revenue Service. And to always be on the lookout for scams.” As you’ll see in the CNBC Shepard Smith video above.
Finally John advises that some scammers will try to text, call and email you in order to try and get you to give them your information. If that happens you’ll need to report any scamming you receive to the IRS and then you are urged file a report with BBB Scam Report online.
