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Here's how to spot a tax scam

The scammer will most commonly reach you over the phone, but also through texts, emails and fake tax return checks.

PORTLAND, Ore. — It's Tax Day, which means you have until midnight on Tuesday, April 18 to file your state and federal personal tax returns and payments without penalties. 

But let’s talk about tax scammers because they are everywhere. Scammers are always looking for ways to steal your money — especially during tax season. 

Here are a few tips on how to spot a tax scam. 

First and foremost, it’s important to know that neither the IRS nor the Oregon Department of Revenue will never call you demanding money or your personal information. 

“Neither the Oregon Department of Revenue nor the IRS are going to be texting you or emailing you today, making ‘offers’ trying to remind you. If you get those type of texts and emails, that’s someone with a scam and you should avoid that,” said Robin Maxey with the Oregon Department of Revenue.

So, what do these scams look like? 

Most commonly, they’re going to be phone call scams. People will likely impersonate or say they’re with the IRS asking you for money or personal information — like your bank account or debit card information. 

On top of that, you can also be scammed through text messages and emails. Watch for dangerous links in texts and emails, which can infect and give your devices malware in seconds. 

“Sometimes they can have names of sites where they make a fake website that has the name like ‘government taxes.com,’” said Kerry Tomlinson, a cyber reporter with Ampere News. “At first glance, you might say ‘Hey, government taxes, this is the right thing' and you might click on it. Then you can end up getting malware that steals your information, maybe steals your money or you can get involved with other scams where they take your money.”

But of course, scammers don't stop there. They'll also be sending out fake checks that look like real tax return checks. So it's important to really look over the check before depositing it. Also doesn't hurt to take it to your bank and get a second pair of eyes. 

“So, some people have already done their taxes and have already turned them in and may be looking for a refund,” said Tomlinson. “And sometimes even if you sent in your taxes and you know you’re not getting your refund — the idea that you might by chance have done the math wrong, and maybe you’re getting a refund, that is a really good lower. So, they’ll do things like send you checks that look like they maybe refund checks or they may send you a text message or email that says you’re getting a refund. And the desire for money even if we’re not supposed to be getting a refund — that can also make us do things that we wouldn’t normally do.” 

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