Tax Day is here, and state Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office is giving procrastinating Floridians advice on how to file their taxes at the last minute without getting scammed.
According to Bondi’s office, scam artists often try to prey on people who do not take special care to make sure their private financial information is safe.
Tips include never sending your returns from your home mailbox – hand them to a clerk at the post office instead. And if you file online, be sure to use a reputable tax preparation company and a secure web server that is not attached to public Wi-Fi.
Attorney general’s office spokesman Whitney Ray says the IRS will never make initial contact with a taxpayer by phone or via email.
Additionally, Ray reminds residents that tax returns contain all the personal information a criminal needs to steal your money.
“We are seeing, in tax season, that thousands of complaints are filed with the IRS each year just in Florida alone, from people claiming their identities were stolen or someone tried to solicit their information,” said Ray. “Scammers are seeing this as a prime time to try to make a quick buck.”
Ray also says anyone who files at the last minute runs the risk of having a crook actually steal their identity, file a fraudulent tax return, and get an improper refund before the legitimate taxpayer even knows what happened.
If you feel you have been victimized by a tax scam, you can contact the attorney general’s office at www.myfloridalegal.com.
