No, that isn’t the IRS.
Impersonators have been around for a while, and this time of year the IRS impersonators will be phishing to see who will bite. In the past, phishing attempts were to contact you about a tax debt and make threats to get you to pay up. Now scammers may send you a text about a “Tax Rebate” or another tax refund or benefit. Here is some information to know about the new twist.
The text message may look like a real text and mention a “tax rebate” or “refund Payment”. No matter what the text says, it is a scammer phishing for your information. If you click on the link to claim “your refund,” you are exposing yourself to Identity Theft or malware that the scammer could install on your phone, and you would not have any idea they did this. Note that no one is going to give you free money!
- Never click on an unexpected text
- Don’t share personal information with anyone who contacts you out of the blue
- Always use a website or phone number you know is real
The IRS will never call, email, text, or contact you for the first time, they always start by sending you a letter. If you want to confirm, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040
If you have questions about a refund, go to their official website. Visit Where’s My Refund.
Report unsolicited texts or emails claiming to be the IRS with screenshots as an attachment to [email protected].
If you did click on a link in one of these text or emails and have shared your personal information, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov to help you get a customized recovery plan based on what information you shared.
Please be careful and mindful of fraud, it happens when we least expect it.
Fraud prevention is important.
As a reminder, SouthPoint will never email, text or call you and ask for your personal information. This includes usernames, passwords, account numbers or access codes. Even if your caller ID says “SouthPoint,” it’s likely spoofing, which is a scam. If this happens to you, please contact us and we can help.