Gwinnett County Police are warning local residents of a series of scams being perpetrated against residents in recent months.
Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remains an ongoing threat to taxpayers. The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent months as scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things. The IRS reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games that arise particularly during tax-filing season.
Another common scam includes criminal's efforts to phish information via fake emails or websites looking to steal personal information. The IRS will not send an email about a bill or refund out of the blue. Residents are reminded not to open strange emails or website links claiming to be from the IRS. These may be scams to steal your personal information.
In addition, taxpayers need to watch out for identity theft, especially around tax time. The IRS continues to aggressively pursue criminals that file fraudulent returns using someone else's social security number. The IRS is making progress on this front but taxpayers still need to be extremely careful and do everything they can to avoid becoming a victim.
Always shred any document with personal information. The IRS is not going to call you randomly. If you do receive a call claiming to be the IRS, take note of the area code. It may appear to be 202 area code from Washington, D.C., but is actually coming from overseas.
If you receive emails claiming to be from your bank, don't click on the link until you contact your local branch. If you click the link and it is malware, your computer will be open to all sorts of cyber attacks.
And last but not least, frequently check your credit to catch any unauthorized activity.
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