Tax season is officially in full swing, and it’s the busiest time of the year for scam artists. Crooks are working overtime to get their hands on your tax refund and personal information. It’s important to have your guard up whether you prepare your own taxes or seek professional assistance, as these people have subtle ways to get the best of even the savviest taxpayers. As your local Newark tax fraud attorney, we have the experience to help you go after the person or company who you believed scammed you. Today we’re here to help you try to avoid this awful situation altogether. Don’t get taken advantage of this tax season. Stay on top of the latest tax scams and tactics used by thieves.

1. Personal Information Requested by Email. This is a huge red flag! If the IRS sends an email asking you to divulge personal or financial information, you’re probably not speaking with an actual IRS employee. There’s currently an email phishing scam circulating where con artists pretend to be IRS representatives and send you a link to a site that looks exactly like the official IRS website. Do not respond to these emails!

2. Guaranteed OIC Qualification. When working with a tax debt company, be wary if you’re told you qualify for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) before you even agree to be a client. It’s likely this person is a scam artist.

3.  Pressure to Inflate Charitable Deductions. Charitable deductions are great but only if they’re done the correct way. Any tax preparer who encourages you to embellish the amount of money you contributed to charity the previous year is up to no good.