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Filing Your Taxes and Avoiding Scams

Every year, Americans file their taxes, and it’s becoming more common to file taxes online through sites like TurboTax. However, there’s also been an increase in the number of tax-related scams, so it’s important to be extra careful in protecting your financial information during tax season.

  • Sometimes scammers will pretend to be other people and file their taxes early to get the return. Because of this, you should try to file your taxes as early as possible each year. 
  • One of the most common phone scams involves a call or email supposedly from the IRS. In fact, the IRS has released a list of 12 types of tax-related scams they’ve recorded, including phishing attacks, social media scams, and payroll scams. You should never click on a link or give a caller your personal information if they claim to be the IRS.
  • You can always file your taxes through the IRS website, or use a trusted service like TurboTax. Be wary of alternative tax-filing sites that claim to get you a bigger refund. 
  • Sign up for free credit monitoring and check your credit report once or twice each year. This will make it easier to keep track of your financial accounts and more quickly identify fraudulent activities.