Tax Season and Tax Scammers: What to Know

ZANESVILLE, OH –Tax season is here, which means so are the scammers.

According to the FTC, identity theft is set to increase drastically in 2025. Here’s what to know this season.

“When you’re looking for a tax preparer, not all are created equally,” Central Ohio BBB President Judy Dollison said. “We always recommend that you do your research before you make that decision and one great place to start is BBB.org. We have a lot of information about different tax preparers on the website. You can read about their complaints, reviews, and see what other customers have to say about them. You want to make sure you talk to them about what services they provide and what their fees are, so you have all that information ahead of time before you make that decision.”

A lot of information obtained by scammers is due to phishing attempts. Opening scam emails and text messages can put you at risk, along with recent data breaches. It’s important to take precautions. The best way to protect yourself this tax season is to file early. It’s also recommended to get an identity protection pin issued through the IRS. This six-digit code would be used in addition to your Social Security number to confirm your identity when filing taxes.

“Typically, what happens is the scammer has somehow gotten a hold of your personal information like a social security number, or your address and birthdate and they filed a fake tax return in your name. They filed it early before you had a chance to file your return and it’s particularly sneaky because you may not even notice it for a few months until you file your taxes and find out that they’ve already been filed by someone else in your name,” Dollison said.

If you believe your identity has been stolen, the Federal Trade Commission has recovery plans in place. Those plans can be found at IdentityTheft.gov, and it is important to report it to the BBB as well. Staying aware this tax season could save you stress in the long run.

Happy filing!