Tax Season Scammer Alert – Protect Yourself!

Whatever happened to the world where people were mostly good and looked out for one another?  Now it seems we’re suspicious all the time because we must constantly guard against fraudsters and thieves.We’ve shared blogs in the past about the non-stop battles the IRS fights as dishonest people use the agency’s name to try separating you from your money. Especially during this time of year—“tax season”—IRS scams proliferate, so we underscore the IRS’ warnings: be vigilant!The IRS doesn’t initiate email contact with taxpayers (other than sending general, information articles you signed up for), nor will it contact you via text message or social media. It never asks for PIN numbers, passwords, or any confidential access information to your bank or credit card accounts. If you receive an email purporting to be from the IRS, forward it to phishing@irs.gov.  Don’t open any attachments, nor click on any links.  Above all, don’t provide any confidential information. Here are some other suggestions to help protect yourself from identity theft:

• Don’t carry your Social Security card or any documents containing your Social Security number (SSN).
• Only give your SSN to a business if it’s required in the course of normal business operations.
• Protect your financial information: don’t give passwords to your online accounts to anyone.
• Check your credit report at least once a year. You’re entitled to a free credit report annually from each of the three credit bureaus by requesting one at www.annualcreditreport.com.  Check it more regularly for free by spacing out your review of your three reports: order one report from a different credit bureau every four months.
• Protect electronic devices—including smart phones—with firewalls, anti-spam/virus software, and passwords. Remember to change your passwords periodically.
• Secure personal information in your home—including your list of passwords!
• Never provide personal information by phone, via mail, or online unless you initiate the contact and you’re sure of the recipient.

Patrick & Robinson CPAs has been guarding—and championing—our clients’ best interests for more than 30 years. If you need a tax preparer or accountant you can always turn to for trusted advice, we’d be honored if you’d contact us at Office@CPAsite.com or 904-396-5400.