Scammers want your tax refund
5:34 p.m. Monday, January 28, 2008
Scammers are pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service. And if you fall for it, in seconds, you could get ripped off, all because you wanted your tax refund check.
"Yeah, I'm really excited for the rebate to come in, of course."
Like a lot of metro-area residents, Erin Nied is excited about talk of a federal tax rebate.
"Oh gosh, I don't know, probably pay off my student loan. Maybe go shopping," Nied said.
But already scammers are doing some shopping of their own, targeting people just like Nied for their personal information.
"No, that doesn't surprise me at all," Nied said.
Pretending to be IRS agents, the scammers call unsuspecting people asking for Social Security numbers and other personal information so a refund check can be sent.
It's an easy trap.
"Oh yeah, of course it would. I mean, you don't know who's calling you," Nied said. "If they sound like they're official, I don't know see why you wouldn't tell them your information."
"Anybody who answers the phone, who they think might fall for this," FBI agent Jeff Lanza said.
They'll try it on anybody. "
Jeff Lanza with the FBI says scam artists are doing what's called phishing, fishing for unsuspecting victims.
"Electronics has made it so much easier to get involved in this type of activity from a scammer's standpoint," Lanza said.
With a fake name and 1-800 number, crooks can be hard to track down and leave victims empty-handed.
"I really hope that people won't give out their information. They'll hear about this on the news or newspaper or internet. Just be aware," Lanza said.
Any time you give your Social Security number or any private information to a stranger, you put yourself at risk for identity theft.
Identity Theft: How to NOT be a victim
Identity theft is a crime, but that doesn't deter people from trying to take on your identity for financial gain.
At work and at home, secure important documents that contain your personal data. Do not carry your Social Security card or any cards with PIN numbers on them. The U.S. Department of Treasury also recommends shredding documents with personal information on them.
And, that's just the beginning. Protect yourself from this crime by learning identity theft prevention guidelines. Check them out.
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