Tax season is upon us, which means tax preparation sites are popping up on every corner. It’s the time of the year you look forward to your tax refund, but beware, tax season is also a popular scam season.
About 63% of Americans plan to do their taxes online this year, according to McAfee’s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset Report (https://www.mcafee.com/en-us/consumer-support/consumer-security– mindset.html). Out of those filers, about 12% will be filing their taxes online for the first time.
The IRS has reported a rise in tax scams such as phishing and phone scams, but the following tips can help you avoid becoming a victim:
1. Try to file your tax return early during the tax filing season. You should prioritize getting them prepared and filed as soon as possible. Every year, the IRS identifies several cases of identity theft where scammers use stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to file a tax return early in the season so they can claim a refund.
The earlier you file, the less of a chance scammers have to file pretending to be you. If the IRS flags your tax return as a duplicate or you can’t e-file because the system says you already filed, you will likely have to complete and submit the IRS’s identity theft affidavit form. That could mean that your refund
will be delayed until the proper documentation…
