Tax Expert: Be On Your Toes This Tax Season

It’s tax season, which means this can also be a heightened season for scammers and identity thieves looking to separate you from your money, or your personal information.  Experts say now is the time to prepare for those scammers.

“Agencies like the IRS, they don't call you up and then come and take your house," stressed Andrew Zumwalt of University of Missouri Extension.  "With the IRS, they are going to be sending you a lot of letters, there's going to be lots of interactions.  They don't just come and take your house as a first step.”

Zumwalt said scammers will use these high-pressure tactics to obtain details like Social Security numbers and bank account information.  Or in some situations, they will have you send money via non-traditional services or gift cards.  He said if you get such a call, just hang up.  

Zumwalt added you can’t be too careful when it comes to protecting your information and your identity this time of year.

“So, there’s a  lot of fraud that can happen in the tax world. And so just making sure that if you have your tax documents, put them together in kind of one folder, it's about ensuring that the privacy is secure. Apply with the IRS for an Identity Protection Pin. Essentially, you'll be sent that pin in December, and then you'll need that in the following tax filing season in order to electronically file your return. That's an amazingly powerful tool.  Essentially, you have the one number in order to file a return, and so anybody else who tries to file their return will reject electronically, and so it was a very tight security on your return.”

In the event you do get a scam call or e-mail, Zumwalt recommended reaching out to someone you know and trust, family members or a friend.

Click Here to learn more about the Identity Protection Pin.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com