Reform Online Lending Issues Consumer Alert on Tax Season Scams
KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- With the April 15th tax filing deadline approaching, tax-season related scams are being documented across the United States. Reform Online Lending today issued a consumer alert to ensure taxpayers are better informed and aware of reported tax scams for which they may be targeted.
Reform Online Lending is posting three of the leading tax scams as reported by the IRS:
- Email Phishing Scam: An email seemingly from the IRS includes a link to a phony website that looks like the official IRS website. The email directs a consumer to "update your IRS e-file immediately." A consumer can distinguish a bogus email from an official IRS email by checking whether the email refers to IRSgov or IRS.gov -- the scam email is IRSgov. An official IRS email will refer a consumer to IRS.gov – it has a dot between IRS and gov, the fake email does not.
- Tax-Related Identity Theft: A consumer's stolen Social Security Number is used by another person to file a tax return and claim a fraudulent refund. Consumers can protect their online personal and financial information by using firewalls and anti-spam/virus software on their personal computer, updating security patches and changing passwords for Internet accounts.
- Phone Scams: Fraudsters claiming to be IRS agents make phone calls to consumers and threaten them with police arrest if they do not provide personal financial information on the spot. These callers may also demand consumers make immediate payment of taxes owed. The IRS, however, will never call and threaten consumers with arrest or demand immediate payment.
"Consumers who believe they have been the target of any of these scams should report this criminal activity to the IRS and file a complaint with the FTC. Any information a consumer can provide to assist authorities in tracking down fraudsters will help in protecting all consumers in the marketplace," said Mark Curry, founder of Reform Online Lending.
About ReformOnlineLending.org
ReformOnlineLending.org is a program of entrepreneur and industry leader Mark Curry to identify and bring justice to scammers who take advantage of consumers of the online financial services industry. The program is designed to educate American consumers on the scams that are perpetrated in the online lending industry, and to work with government authorities to prosecute scammers who seek to take advantage of the industry's millions of consumers.
Contact: Reform Online Lending
[email protected]
SOURCE Reform Online Lending
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