Electronic Tax Filing News Update: 2012 Tax Scams

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I noticed the most popular post on my blog was Electronic Tax Filing News Update: Cyber Criminals which has over one thousand views, much more than any of my other posts. This has led me to write again about raising awareness on your online saftey to make sure people know what to watch out for on the internet. This time I am covering Tax Scams and how they have become the biggest problem facing the IRS and you as a taxpayer.

 

The Dirty Dozen Tax Scams from IRS.gov

Here is a link to the IRS.gov site. They post a Dirty Dozen Tax Scams every year. Check it out for info on the most popular scams to watch out for, but with all the ways that people can scam each other, this list may not be all of them. It's always good practice to be extremely careful with your personal and tax information when filing taxes electronically.

Phishing and ID Theft Front Latest Tax Scams

First, I want to share with you a site I found called Scambusters.org. They are dedicated to keeping people safe from scams and post regularly on new methods people use to cheat you out of your hard-earned money. They posted about Phishing and ID scams as the latest Tax Scams, and give a very comprehensive list on what to watch out for. Check out this page to get the low-down and protect yourself! Phishing and ID Theft Front Latest Tax Scams from Scambusters.org

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Here is an excerpt to show you just how cunning these scammers have become:

“Two of the big names in tax preparation have found themselves the target of tax scams in the countdown to the April 17 deadline (extended from the normal deadline of April 15) for filing returns.

Customers of both Intuit, producer of the market-leading Turbo Tax electronic tax preparation software, and H&R Block, the best-known name in brick-and-mortar tax preparation offices (as well as software) have fallen foul of a couple of mean but effective con tricks.

In addition, the IRS is warning of a big rise in the number of tax frauds in which crooks file false claims and pick up the rebates of their victims. “

Don't Scam Yourself!

finance.yahoo.com has released their own list: 5 Popular Tax Scams for 2012 and they list things that not only others may do to you, but what the IRS looks for whenever you file your own taxes, such as overvaluing charity and hiding income offshore. It's definitely worth a look to make sure you're not making mistakes that the IRS are very keen on.

No One Is Above or "Too Good" to Rip You Off

You might think that NFL football players wouldn't need to resort to scamming people since they make such high salaries, but you'd be wrong. This post from Huffingtonpost.com tells us about two former NFL players who were arrested for tax fraud! Here is a link to the article: William Joseph And Michael Bennett, Former NFL Players, Arrested For Tax Fraud.

In Closing

No matter what, make sure you do your research before you put any information on a website. There are so many greedy people out there who want your money at ALL costs. 

When you file your online tax return, make sure it is with a reputable company, like Onlinetaxpros.com. We make it easy to file taxes online and as always, hope you have a fun and safe Summer and look forward to helping you e-file your income taxes!

Please leave a comment if you know of any other tax scams that are not listed here so we can spread awareness!

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