Tip of the Week for February 2, 2026
TAX SEASON SCAMS
Many are working on their Federal and State taxes now that tax season has opened. As you prepare your taxes, be aware of scammers and suspicious activity. One tax scam includes scammers claiming to be from the IRS telling you that you are due a federal tax refund. They then direct you to a website that appears to be a genuine IRS site. The bogus site steals your information and even contains forms or interactive web pages similar to IRS. Don’t be fooled! These sites and forms have been modified to request detailed personal and financial information from the recipients. Other tax related scams can include claiming you need to pay late fees or back taxes to a suspicious recipient or in untraditional payment forms such as BitCoin, giftcards, through a third-party website or unsecured, etc.
The IRS does not send out unsolicited emails or ask for detailed personal information. Additionally, they do not ask people for their PIN numbers, passwords or similar private access information for their credit card, bank, or other financial accounts. The IRS primarily uses the mail when they need to notify you regarding any tax-related matter. They do not phone you late at night, or text you.
More Information and Resources
- For more information on phishing (suspicious emails) and identity theft, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov.
- For information on preventing or handling the aftermath of identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission Web sites at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft and www.OnGuardOnline.gov.
- Report Fraud - Federal Trade Commission: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov./#/
- Report Scams and Fraud - Oregon Department of Justice: https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/sales-scams-fraud/report-scams-fraud/
- Internet Crime Compliant Center - FBI: https://www.ic3.gov/
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