• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, April 2, 2024

Tax filing season is upon us — and scam artists are ready with ever more ingenious schemes, according to an advisory issued last week by the Internal Revenue Service. 

The IRS warned taxpayers to beware of phishing and smishing schemes that are promulgated via email and SMS.

Above all, the IRS warns people to refrain from clicking on unsolicited emails or texts or on links contained therein. 

"Scammers are relentless in their attempts to obtain sensitive financial and personal information, and impersonating the IRS remains a favorite tactic,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. 

Werfel adds: “People can be anxious to get the latest information about their refund or other tax issues, so scammers frequently try using the IRS as a way to trick people.”

What is he talking about? Here are some of the schemes being seen in this tax season.

Fuel Tax Credits — Most people are not entitled to these: They are intended for off-highway businesses and farming uses. But fraud artists promise to get the credits for The unsuspecting.  “While the scammers drive away with the fees, the taxpayers are left behind with a bad claim and all the risk and responsibility to make it right.,” Werfel says. 

Online accounts — These are easy to set up, but consumers are victimized by self-proclaimed helpers who only want their private information. “An Online Account at IRS.gov can help taxpayers view important details about their tax situation,” Werfel notes. “But scammers have realized the sensitive information there is valuable to them, so they’re now focusing on tricking people that they need help setting up an account.”

Employee Retention Credits — “Businesses can cause themselves into a heap of trouble by misfiling an ERC claim. Don’t hand money over to criminals who claim they can get you the credit. “Before anyone files an Employee Retention Credit claim, they should carefully review the eligibility guidelines and talk to a trusted tax professional,” Werfel says. 

It just goes to show how our beloved medium of email can be abused.