That joyous occasion when the meticulous dance with receipts and deductions begins anew! Still, tax season is upon us and with that comes a wave of new scams to be mindful of.

Tax Scams are Evergreen

Each year, more and more people are getting their tax returns swiped out from under their noses. This scam is nothing new, and is certainly not going anywhere (barring some serious overhaul on the federal end of things).

Criminals want easy money

Cybercriminals everywhere are doing everything they can to take advantage of you while filing taxes to steal your return.

As long as they can get ahold of a few scraps of personal information—especially your Social Security Number—the criminals can easily submit tax returns on your behalf. If the IRS is ignorant enough to send them a check, then you can kiss your sweet tax return goodbye.

Protection is Paramount

Amidst the headlines of lawsuits against companies like Avast for breaches of trust, and the poignant discussions on the impact of social media on our youth’s mental well-being, one truth stands clear: protection is paramount.

So as you gather your W-2s and brave the tax landscape, remember to arm yourself not only with documents but with knowledge.

Don’t fall for it!

Remember, the IRS will never text you, call you, or email you with requests or special instructions regarding your tax return. Scammers will. The IRS only sends you written notices through snail mail. Safeguard your finances, protect your identity, and don’t fall victim to tax return ID theft!