With more federal relief possible, the IRS is warning about scam artists who are looking to separate you from government assistance dollars.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Division is fielding a lot of inquiries on this topic.
Ryan Korner, the agent in charge of the LA Office, says one of widely used fraud tactics hits you right in your smart phone.
MORE INFO: https://www.irs.gov/privacy-disclosure/report-phishing
"A text message scam where tax payers are being asked, via text message, to provide bank account information under the promise that hey will receive their $1,200 economic impact payment more quickly. We are seeing similar fake phone calls, and emails as well as other social media posts asking for personal and financial information," he says.
That doesn't mean the old ways of scamming are not being used.
Another tactic being used is a phone call asking you to donate to a a charity which the caller claims will provide assistance to COVID-19 victims.
In all those cases, hang up the phone or in the case of a phishing e-mail do your part and forward it to phishing@ IRS.gov and investigators will take it from there.
