HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — The Department of Revenue is urging Pennsylvania residents to file their taxes as soon as possible, saying that filing taxes early is one way to protect yourself against identity thieves and tax refund fraud.
“Tax filing season is prime time for criminals to target Pennsylvanians with schemes that are designed to steal their personal information,” Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said. “We want Pennsylvanians to be aware of these fraudulent tactics so they can take steps to protect themselves. It’s important to know the warning signs so that you won’t become a victim of these scams.”
Tax refund fraud usually starts when cyber criminals steal personally identifiable information from a taxpayer or tax professional. The scams may include threatening phone calls, deceptive letters, and realistic-looking phishing emails and texts,
Phishing schemes are created to make users think they are submitting sensitive information, such as a Social Security number, to a government agency. Once the information has been stolen, criminals have been known to file a fraudulent tax return in the name of the victim. The criminal will then request a tax refund and take steps to divert the refund to their account.
Below are some tips from the Department of Revenue that can help taxpayers to avoid scams.
- Approach unusual attachments and links with caution: Links to a website…
