{"id":2760,"date":"2019-03-28T11:35:42","date_gmt":"2019-03-28T15:35:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timothydimoff.com\/?p=2760"},"modified":"2019-03-28T11:35:42","modified_gmt":"2019-03-28T15:35:42","slug":"do-you-know-how-to-protect-against-tax-refund-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timothydimoff.com\/2019\/03\/28\/do-you-know-how-to-protect-against-tax-refund-fraud\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Know How to Protect Against Tax Refund Fraud?"},"content":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s that time of year again, tax season. While citizens and corporations dread gathering up W2s, 1099s and various financial statements for filing, guess who is looking forward to it \u2013 tax scammers. They prey on our fear of an audit and the natural weight of \u201cauthority\u201d any correspondence from the IRS instills in the American or corporate taxpayer. Don\u2019t be fooled. Learn what to watch out for to detect a scam and protect your identity and\/or the identity of your employees\/clients.<\/p>\n
Aside from intentional fraud done by a corporation or individual, there are multiple types of tax fraud that are committed by outside parties. If not blocked or caught in time, a taxpayer can irrevocably be schemed out of their legally earned money.<\/p>\n
According to Internal Revenue Service (IRS), there were approximately $46 million claimed in fraudulent refunds during the 2018 filing season<\/a>. There were also 2,204 confirmed falsified tax returns involving identity theft.<\/p>\n To ensure an individual taxpayer or business does not become a victim of tax refund fraud, be aware of the following methods<\/a> utilized to commit tax fraud:<\/p>\n Overall, be cautious when asked for sensitive information, especially when it contains social security numbers (SSN) and business employee identification numbers (EIN).<\/p>\n Protecting personal and\/or employee identities boils down to common sense. As soon as the IRS tightens the reigns on tax scammers, these clever thieves come up with new and inventive ways to scam legal citizens out of their hard-earned money.<\/p>\n Not only are individuals and businesses targeted, tax preparers are especially at risk for data breaches. Make sure to:<\/p>\n If contacted by the \u201cIRS\u201d, take caution and learn the proper way they will contact you if needed.<\/p>\n When we receive correspondence from the IRS, it\u2019s easy to get a little alarmed, however, use caution first. \u00a0In fact, know that the IRS will never:<\/p>\n The IRS is part of the government after all, and the government loves a paper trail. If the request is urgent, requiring immediate action, \u201csound the alarm\u201d! If you suspect you are a victim of tax refund fraud:<\/p>\n When it comes to being contacted by the IRS or another department\/organization that works closely with the IRS, the best rule of thumb is: if it doesn\u2019t look or feel right, it probably isn\u2019t right. Delete and\/or hang up! Protect yourself first and worry about offending the requester last.<\/p>\n Tim Dimoff\u2019s engaging and thought-provoking presentations<\/a> are sure to enlighten, inform and move you into taking action on such critical issues as workplace risks, substance abuse, security and societal threats. Feel free to contact<\/a> Tim today to speak at your organization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s that time of year again, tax season. While citizens and corporations dread gathering up W2s, 1099s and various financial statements for filing, guess who is looking forward to it \u2013 tax scammers. They prey on our fear of an audit and the natural weight of \u201cauthority\u201d any correspondence from the IRS instills in the American or corporate taxpayer. Don\u2019t be fooled. Learn what to watch out for to detect a scam and protect your identity and\/or the identity of your employees\/clients. Types of Tax Fraud Aside from intentional fraud done by a corporation or individual, there are multiple types<\/p>\n\n
Be Cautious and Protective<\/h2>\n
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What the IRS Will Never Do<\/h2>\n
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Timothy Dimoff \u2013 Speaker, National Expert, Author<\/h2>\n