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It’s tax season. Here are four tax scams affecting NYers and how to avoid them.
By
Bahar Ostadan
Published Apr 9, 2024
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(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
By
Bahar Ostadan
Published Apr 9, 2024
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Tax Day is less than a week away, and police say thieves are in high gear trying to steal money from vulnerable New Yorkers who are trying to follow the law.
Police say tax scams come in several forms. Fraudsters may pose as IRS officials, and ask people to pay over the phone using gift cards. They may also ask for people’s social security numbers, demand wire transfers or ask people to purchase cashier's checks, police say. Some even pretend to be tax officials helping people settle their debts, when they are actually stealing their money.
Gothamist has compiled a list of four of the most popular tax scams and how to avoid them.
Phone scams
The scam: Many thieves call New Yorkers by phone and claim to be IRS officials collecting tax payments. But real IRS officials will never contact you by phone, or email before sending a detailed bill by mail, police warned.
“If you receive a phone call from someone saying they’re from the IRS, that’s your first red flag,” said NYPD Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Carlos Nieves.
Thieves may ask people to purchase online gift cards or prepaid debit cards, then read the card numbers over the phone so they can drain the money, police said.
The fix: Never cooperate with anyone who claims to be calling or emailing you from the IRS. If someone who claims to be from the government calls and demands immediate payment, police officials say to hang up and call (800) 366-4484 to report the crime. New Yorkers can also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission online.
Mail scams
The scam: Fraudsters run “check washing” operations by stealing people’s tax payments from USPS mailboxes. They use chemicals to rinse the ink off checks, then change the payee name and the amount so they can cash the checks themselves.
“They’re essentially using your check to pay themselves a large amount of money,” said Katie Sherwin, director of consumer services with the state’s Division of Consumer Services.
The fix: To avoid your mail getting stolen from a mailbox, drop your checks inside the post office, police say. When writing your checks, use permanent ink that can’t be erased. Check your account balance often to make sure your check was cashed by the correct recipient.
Online scams
The scam: “Phishing and smishing.” Scammers entice people through unsolicited texts or emails promising to help you file your taxes that demand personal and financial information. This can lead to identity theft as well as stolen money, experts say.
These fake websites may feature pop-ups like: “What the IRS doesn’t want you to know about taxes.”
Scammers running these operations often live outside the state — or even outside the country, according to the NYPD. While detectives from the NYPD’s financial crimes task force investigate the source of these scams, it’s challenging to arrest those calling from untraceable cell phones.
“How do you prosecute someone who’s calling you from another country?” Nieves said.
The fix: Check that your tax preparer is legitimate by searching for them in the “Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers” on IRS.gov.
Identity theft
The scam: State officials say identity theft is on the rise during tax season, with scammers using the season to steal personal information.
“Be sure to stay on top of checking your bank accounts regularly,” Sherwin said. New Yorkers should review their credit reports to make sure no erroneous accounts are being opened on their behalf, she added.
You’ll know if your identity was stolen if you get a letter from the IRS about a suspicious tax return, or if you can’t file your tax return online because of a duplicate social security number, according to the IRS. You could also get an IRS notice that an online account was created in your name.
The fix: If you use an online application to do your taxes, log in with your username, password and a third personal item like your phone number. According to the IRS, using all three will keep your identity and data safer.
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new york city
public safety
Bahar Ostadan
Bahar Ostadan covers the NYPD and public safety. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or message Bahar on Signal at 646-740-7335.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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