Watch out for scams
They say the only things in life that are certain are death and taxes. While there are plenty of scams for the former, this is the season for scams involving the latter. The IRS even has a page warning people about scams.
Keep in mind
Things to keep in mind are to ignore those threatening phone calls. They sound scary! There’s a good reason for that. They’re trying to scare you into giving up your money or information. It’s best to hang up as soon as you hear an automated voice claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security Administration.
Don’t wait to file your taxes! The closer you get to that April 15th deadline, the more likely you are to be a target. Criminals increase their attacks as deadlines loom. Don’t get caught in the crowd.
Keep your information private by guarding your Social Security number. While most of your information is already out there in the ether of the internet, your SSN is a little harder to come by. Don’t make stealing your identity easy by sharing that number over the phone. Also keep a safe guard on any documents with it listed.
Common sense
Taxes are stressful for all of us. If you practice common sense procedures, you can safeguard yourself against fraud.
