With tax filing season underway, the Department of Revenue is urging Pennsylvanians to file their tax returns as soon as they can. Filing returns early can help taxpayers protect themselves against identity thieves and tax refund fraud.
“We know there are criminals who use stolen personal information to file fraudulent tax returns and steal tax refunds. We want Pennsylvanians to be aware of these scams so they can take steps to protect themselves,” said Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell. “We know from our experience that criminals are always looking for new ways to trick people into turning over their sensitive data. Know the warning signs so that you won’t become a victim of these scams.”
Tax refund fraud often starts when cyber criminals steal personal identifiable information from a taxpayer, or a tax professional hired to prepare a client’s tax returns. These scams usually involve threatening phone calls, deceptive letters sent through the mail and phishing emails.
Phishing emails are designed to make it appear that the message is coming from a trusted source, such as a government agency. The messages are set up to use malware or other software to steal sensitive information, such as passwords, usernames or personal financial information, such as a Social Security number.
Once the criminals have their hands on the stolen information, they have been known to file a fraudulent tax return in the name of victims whose data was stolen. The criminal will request a tax refund as part of filing the fraudulent return, and then will take steps to divert the refund to a bank account they control.
The Department of Revenue is encouraging Pennsylvanians to keep the following tips in mind to safeguard against these deceptive scams:
– Look for imposters: Many times, criminals will pose as a government entity or an official business. If you are targeted by a scam artist through the mail, phone or email, do not provide personal information or money until you are sure you are speaking to a legitimate representative.
– Don’t fall for high-pressured tactics: Criminals responsible for these scams have been known to use high-pressure tactics, including threatening taxpayers with criminal charges if they don’t comply with their requests for their information. Many scams have also involved criminals threatening the taxpayer with an arrest warrant or the “blacklisting” of their Social Security number.
– Approach unusual attachments and links with caution: Links to a website or attachments to an email could contain malware that allows criminals to track the recipient’s keystrokes. That’s one way they can obtain passwords, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers or other sensitive information.
– Conduct research online: If you receive a phone call, email or letter that you believe is part of a scam, conduct a search online to see if a scam has been reported by other people or government agencies. For your research, use information from the message, such as an email address, company name, address or telephone number.
The Department of Revenue is encouraging taxpayers to electronically file their Pennsylvania personal income tax returns with the department’s new, state-only filing system available at mypath.pa.gov.
myPATH is a free option that allows most taxpayers to file the Pennsylvania Income Tax Return (PA-40) and make income tax payments, as well as other services. The deadline to submit 2020 personal income tax returns is April 15.
The Department of Revenue has a Fraud Detection and Analysis Unit dedicated to assisting victims of identity theft and combating tax refund fraud. If you are a victim of identity theft or discover a fraudulent Pennsylvania personal income tax return was filed using your identity, contact the unit by emailing RA-RVPITFRAUD@pa.gov.
Click here or visit PA.gov/cybersecurity for more information.
