Often the scams that are the most effective are the ones that have just a bit of truth to them.  For instance, mystery shopper scams often appeal to victims of the scam because they know there actually are people who are paid to shop.  And so it is with the latest scam where scammers are posing as the IRS and sending emails and text messages to unsuspecting people telling them that they need to apply and provide personal information in order to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit, also known as an Economic Impact Payment.  According to the IRS a million taxpayers who were eligible to take this credit on their 2021 federal income tax return failed to do so.  Fortunately, however, taxpayers who didn’t claim this credit on their 2021 federal income tax return don’t have to do anything or provide any information to claim this credit.  Eligible taxpayers will receive either a check or a direct deposit into their bank account for the credit.

Scammers however, are capitalizing on people being somewhat aware that the IRS is issuing these credits, but not necessarily aware that they do not have to do anything or provide any information to get their payment.

TIPS

As always even if the phone number sending the text message or the email address sending an email that appear to come from the IRS, you can’t trust it.  It is a simple matter for a sophisticated scammer to make the phone number appear on your Caller ID to be from the IRS and the same goes for email.

It is also important to remember that the IRS will not send you an email or a text message asking form personal or financial information, but scammers posing as the IRS will and use any information you provide to make you a victim of identity theft.

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