For Immediate Release
Friday, April 11, 2008
Contact: Josh Moenning
(402) 438-1598
As the conclusion of another tax season rapidly approaches, the following information about two tax preparation concerns may be helpful to you.
First, you should be aware of various tax scams that use the name of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deceive you into revealing personal and financial information. Second, if you are a low-income senior, you must file a tax return by October 15 to be eligible for a tax rebate check.
Tax scam artists will typically try to contact you either by phone or email. Under one scam, a caller claiming to be an IRS employee states he wants to verify the potential victim’s bank account number because the victim has not cashed a tax rebate check. You should know that the IRS does not call regarding check cashing, nor does it ever ask for a taxpayer’s bank account or similar information.
Scams also occur via email. A recipient receives an email claiming to be from the IRS saying that she is eligible for a tax refund. The email instructs the recipient to click on a link in the email to access a refund form which asks the recipient to enter personal information. The scammers will use the information to access the recipient’s bank or credit card account. Be aware that such emails are phony; the IRS does not send unsolicited emails.
To guard against such scams, you can learn more at the IRS websites http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=178061,00.html and http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=155344,00.html. If you have received a suspicious phone call or email using the name of the IRS, you should inform officials at the IRS of it by emailing them at phishing@irs.gov. You may also report a suspected tax scam by calling the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s office at 1-800-366-4484.
Regarding seniors and tax rebate checks, it is important to know that some low-income seniors who do not normally file a tax return may need to do so this year in order to receive a rebate check from the Internal Revenue Service. Tax rebates for many Americans are part of the economic stimulus package approved recently by Congress.
Low-income seniors may be eligible for a tax rebate of $300 to $600. They must file a simple 2007 federal form 1040A income tax return showing at least $3,000 in qualifying income (which includes Social Security). Low-income seniors have until October 15, 2008, to file for their rebate, although the sooner they file, the quicker they will receive the rebate.
For assistance, you may contact my Lincoln office at 402-438-1598. You may also contact the IRS at 1-800-906-9887 or visit the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=179736,00.html for more information.
###