Tax News for Our Military: Scam Targeting Soldiers

This pic should help any troops overseas know how much we appreciate you! source

The Huffingtonpost has been on top of the tax scams this week, and I decided to inform our servicemen and women of a tax scam that could affect them!

This scam involves people impersonating Department of Defense representatives(right down to the .mil e-mail address) and try to get you to send your financial information to a location in Florida. The main way they get you is by telling you you're eligible for additional money from your disability compensation.

There is no such thing as easy money, and if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If you send off your information, the thieves will not only steal your identity, but clean out your bank accounts, use your credit cards, apply for things like loans and other military-exclusive benefits, along with things like additional credit cards an other services.

The end of the article includes a list of things to help reduce your risk of identity theft straight from the IRS's mouth:

• Don’t carry your Social Security card or any document(s) with your SSN on it.

• Don’t give a business your SSN just because they ask. Give it only when required.

• Protect your financial information.

• Check your credit report every 12 months.

• Secure personal information in your home.

• Protect your personal computers by using firewalls, anti-spam/virus software, update security patches, and change passwords for Internet accounts.

• Don’t give personal information over the phone, through the mail or on the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you are dealing with.

There really is no limit to what these con artists and thieves will do to get your personal information. The military and those that dutifully serve our country would be the last people I would have expected to fall victim to these attacks. This just further proves that no one is safe from the tyranny of the weak and lazy.

I have to say that what you fine men and women do for our country on a daily basis is more than I can gratify in a mere paragraph or article on this blog. Your life is regularly put at risk so that people like these scammers can prey on others, and the fact that citizens take you guys for granted is the worst shame we face. I don't see how the thieves can sleep at night, knowing they're stealing from the very people that protect them from foreign and domestic threats, yet they feel entitled to take from those very souls that would lay down their lives for their country.

You great people are a precious commodity, and show great discipline and honor putting your own dreams and aspirations aside for the good of our country. I personally thank all of you and feel a great sense of honor to be a part of this great country and the great people that defend it and die for it. To everyone in our armed forces and military, we salute you and wish great prosperity to your families and wish all those overseas a safe trip home to be with those that love you.

Full article from The Huffington Post can be read here

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 want to honor any of our soldiers, fallen or still with us. You may also tell us if you know about any other scams you know about to help raise awareness!

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