(AREA) — Tax season is in full swing and those filing need to be aware of fraudulent activity and identity theft that can occur. Sanilac County Sheriff Garry Biniecki reminds citizens that personal information can be stolen in a number of ways, including theft of mail or tax returns, corrupt tax preparation services, or phony emails from impostors. Tax Identity Theft occurs when your personal information is stolen for a fraudulent refund. More specifically, Tax Identity Theft can involve filing a tax return using another person’s Social Security number, claiming someone else’s children as dependents, or claiming a tax refund using a deceased taxpayer’s information. There are several ways to avoid Tax Identity Theft including mailing tax returns as early in the tax season as possible, shredding personal and financial documents, know your tax preparer, and check the status of a refund after filing at www.irs.gov/refunds
Sheriff Biniecki warns of the IRS Impostor Scam, which is an intimidating and sophisticated phone scam where callers claim to be an IRS employee and say you owe taxes. They may threaten to arrest or deport you if you don’t pay. The IRS does not call to demand immediate payment, they never ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone, and never threaten to bring in local authorities to arrest anyone for nonpayment. Residents with any doubts about a specific situation should contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040. The Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division can also offer guidance or advice by calling 810-648-8360.
