ADOR warns taxpayers about fraud schemes
(KYMA, KECY)-The Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) says COVID-19 does not stop scammers from taking advantage of taxpayers.
ADOR’s Criminal Investigation Unit says since COVID-19, 13 tax fraud schemes using stolen or created identities were stopped.
So far this year, a total of $10 million of tax fraud has been stopped, a 50 percent increase compared to last year.
The department is on alert during tax season as identity thieves use data that may have been stolen through a number of different scams; including over the phone, texts, card-skimming devices, access through unsecured Wi-Fi, stealing mail, hacking email accounts, and phishing schemes.
The Department of Revenue reports 99 percent of individual income tax returns filed in Arizona are legitimate, but tax refund fraud remains a genuine concern.
To help prevent being the victim of identity theft, ADOR recommends the following:
-Do not carry identification with your social security number (SSN) on it.
-If someone asks for a social security number, always ask why because it is not always required.
-Keep personal and confidential information in a secure place.
-Take extra precautions when discarding personal or confidential information.
-Protect personal computers, smartphones, and other devices by using anti-virus software.
-Use strong passwords and never share your passwords. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts/applications.
- Check your free credit report annually at www.annualcreditreport.com.
-Monitor wage earnings by examining your statement from the Social Security Administration.
-Never give personal information through email, social media, or text messaging and, unless you initiated the call, never give personal information over the phone.
Arizona taxpayers with concerns or have been a victim of tax fraud should contact ADOR’s Identity Theft Call Center at (602) 716-6300, toll-free 1-800-352-4090, or https://azdor.gov/individual-income-tax-information/identity-theft.
