It's the season of forms, refunds, audits, and everything else that comes with tax season. But do you know what else comes with tax season? Scammers! Be on the lookout for people reaching out to you and claiming to be a government employee. Below are a couple of ways this can happen to you.
Social Security Administration Impersonator – With this scam, fraudsters indicate your Social Security Number will be suspended if you don't pay. Then, the scammer tells you to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, etc. But, again, this is not the Social Security Administration calling, and you should hang up immediately.
IRS Impersonator – For this scam, an IRS impersonator calls to collect unpaid taxes. The scammer may threaten you with legal action, and they could even have some information on you all ready to make you think they're legitimate, but they're not!
Medicare Impersonator – If someone reaches out to you asking for your Medicare number, don't give it to them! An impersonator may ask you for your bank account or credit card number for a new Medicare card. But Medicare sends its cards at no cost. Another variation of this scam is a medical equipment claim that you likely didn't make.
You can read about more common scams and tips to prevent falling victim here. If you think a government impersonator has scammed you, report it to IdentityTheft.gov and immediately report it to your local authorities.
