(BBB)
With tax season upon us, the St. Louis Consumer Fraud Task Force (CFTF) reminds consumers to be aware of scammers who try to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Sentinel Database showed nearly 75,000 reports of employment or tax-related scams reported through the first three quarters of 2024. The Better Business Bureau's® (BBB's®) Scam Tracker showed that tax collection scams had the fourth-highest median loss with consumers reporting a median loss of $2,306.
According to the BBB 2023 Scam Tracker Risk Report, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is one of the most impersonated organizations. Scammers like to act as if they are the IRS to extract personal information and/or money out of their targets.
The IRS warns consumers that their first contact with them typically happens through U.S. mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Consumers can verify the IRS sent the letter or notice by searching for it on the IRS website.
The IRS will not send consumers an email or text message without permission. The IRS will not contact consumers or take payment through social media. The IRS does not accept gift cards or prepaid debit cards as payment. The IRS will not threaten you with law enforcement or immigration officials nor will it take your citizenship status, driver’s license or business license. The IRS also does not leave pre-recorded voicemails also known as robocalls.
The Task Force recommends these tips to avoid tax identity theft and scams:
- File early. Filing your taxes as soon as you can reduces the chance that someone can steal your identity by filing your taxes before you do. Make sure you have all relevant documents before you file.
- Consider an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). An IP PIN is a six-digit number from the IRS that confirms your identity. It can help identify you if someone commits tax fraud using your Social Security Number (SSN). The IRS will provide your IP PIN online when you first opt in and will then mail you a new one each December.
- Use secure websites. Make sure you are accessing the real IRS website or other tax filing website by checking that the URL is spelled correctly. Look for the lock symbol to the left of the URL – this means your connection is secure.
- Protect your tax information. Store your tax documents in a secure location in your home or on a password-protected computer. As a general rule, don’t give out your SSN unless absolutely necessary.
- Choose wisely. Look for a preparer who is available year-around. If questions come up about a tax return, taxpayers may need to contact the preparer after the filing season is over. The IRS has a database that can help consumers find a preparer near them.
- Know the signs of fraud. If the IRS informs you that your return has already been filed or that you’ve received wages from an employer you don’t know, it’s possible someone has committed tax fraud against you. Visit an IRS office as soon as possible to resolve the problem.
- Report scams. If you believe you’ve encountered a tax scam or identity theft, report it to the IRS, the FTC, and BBB’s Scam Tracker.
About the St. Louis Consumer Fraud Task Force
The Task Force, formed in October 2002, is a coalition of local, state and federal government agencies and nonprofit business and consumer groups in Missouri and Illinois that work together to protect consumer and donor rights and guard against fraud. The group has issued news alerts about predatory payday loan offers, tax scams, timeshare fraud, credit repair and foreclosure scams, bogus sweepstakes, internet sweetheart scams, phony grant scams, home remodeling, elder fraud, payment scams and a variety of other issues.
For information, or to report a scam, contact members of the Task Force:
- Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern and Southwest Missouri and Southern Illinois – (888) 996-3887; www.BBB.org
- Federal Trade Commission – (877) FTC-HELP (382-4357); www.ftc.gov
- Federal Bureau of Investigations - (314) 589-2500
- Illinois Attorney General – (800) 243-0618; www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov
- Illinois Secretary of State - Securities Department - 800-628-7937
- Missouri Attorney General – (800) 392-8222; www.ago.mo.gov
- St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department - (314) 231-1212; www.slmpd.org
- U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Missouri – (314) 539-2200; www.usdoj.gov/usao/moe
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service – (877) 876-2455; postalinspectors.uspis.gov
- U.S. Secret Service – (314) 539-2238; www.secretservice.gov
