Beware of Tax Rebate Scammers

Scammers are out in force trying to separate you from your tax rebate check.

With the first of the government’s tax rebate checks in the mail, scammers, no laggards at going where the money is, are already hard at work separating taxpayers from their money.

For many scam artists, following the money means following the headlines. And that’s certainly true in the case of the tax rebates, officially “economic stimulus checks.”

Here’s how it works: Scammers claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration call and say they need your information to be able to deposit your rebate directly into your account. They may ask for your checking account number, Social Security number, or other personal information—the kind they can use to commit identity theft.

However, you should never give out your personal information over the telephone, and neither the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Social Security Administration (SSA) will ever ask you to provide it in response to an unsolicited call or email.

The IRS does not gather information for rebates by telephone. Nor does it send unsolicited emails to taxpayers about tax account matters. The only way you can get a tax rebate is if you filed a tax return. Similarly, if you get an email out of the blue from someone claiming to be from the IRS that asks you to call a phone number or email back your personal information, don’t click on any links. Forward it to phishing@irs.gov and then delete it. Clicking on a link in an unsolicited email can make you susceptible to identity theft. The only official IRS website is located at www.irs.gov.

If you get a call from someone who claims to be from the SSA and who asks for your personal administration, say you’re not interested, then hang up. Then call the SSA’s toll-free number, 800-772-1213, to verify the reason for the contact and the caller’s identity. The SSA will not send unsolicited email. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov.

Your first reaction to being asked for personal information by someone you don’t know should always be to say “No”!