Financial Consultant Steve Sexton Outlines Best Practices to Stay Safe from Scammers During Tax Season
SAN DIEGO, April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Each year, thousands of people lose millions of dollars as a result of tax-related scams. With a surge of new scams circulating around tax season, Steve Sexton, financial consultant and CEO of Sexton Advisory Group, is revealing essential tips to help keep consumers safe from tax season fraud and identity theft:
- Confirm credentials. “If you do hire a tax preparer, make sure they have a Tax Preparers Identification Number and check their references,” says Sexton. “Start this process early if possible, as filing early lowers the chance of someone else filing a fake return with your social security before you do. Also keep in mind a reputable CPA will never ask you to sign a tax return until it is fully prepared.”
- Beware of phone scams. “According to the IRS, tax season is prime time for phone scams,” says Sexton. “Beware of scammers who make aggressive calls posing as IRS agents. Their goal is to steal taxpayer money or your personal information.”
- Be on the lookout for the new SSN scam. “In an attempt to frighten taxpayers into returning robocall voicemails, scammers are also claiming to suspend or cancel a taxpayer’s social security number (SSN),” says Sexton. They’ll leave a voicemail claiming you have overdue taxes and threaten to cancel your SSN. This is a scam, and if you get a call like this, hang up.”
- The IRS will only contact you via snail mail. “It is also important to remember the IRS will only contact you via snail mail, not via email, text message, or social media,” adds Sexton. “If you suspect someone has used your information to file a tax return or steal your identity, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit immediately.”
- Consider credit monitoring. “If your identity gets stolen or a scammer files a false tax return, it could take six months or more to get your money back,
says Sexton. “A credit monitoring service can help alert you to changes or updates to your credit.”
For more information on Sexton Advisory Group, please visit www.sextonadvisorygroup.com.
Media Contact: [email protected].
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SOURCE Sexton Advisory Group
