Philly Daily ran my Crime Beat column on the Feds warnings about holiday scams.
You
can read the column via the link below or the text below:
Davis: Feds warn of holiday identity theft, online shopping scams, and charity fraud - Philly Daily
It’s
a sad commentary, but during the holiday season, when most of us are thinking
of family and friends and of goodness and joy, there are heartless crooks
looking to take advantage of one’s goodness by scamming them.
On
December 3rd at a Security Summit, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced
that the 10th National Tax Security Awareness Week hopes to raise awareness
about tax-related identity theft and scams as the holidays and the upcoming tax
season approach.
The
Security Summit is a coalition of the IRS, state tax administrators, tax
software companies, the tax professional community and others in the larger tax
community, organized to combat tax-related identity theft through a
public-private sector partnership that strengthened internal protections and
raised awareness about security threats.
“With
the holiday shopping season underway and tax season quickly approaching, we are
urging taxpayers and tax professionals to take extra steps to protect their
financial and tax information,” said IRS CEO Frank Bisignano. “During this
holiday season, people face the heightened risk of identity theft as criminals
ramp up efforts to trick people into sharing sensitive personal information:
identity thieves might use this information to try filing false tax returns and
stealing refunds.”
The
IRS stated that the work of the Security Summit is to strengthen internal
systems and share information across the tax system about fraudsters continues
to show results. Since its inception, the work of the Security Summit has
helped protect millions of taxpayers against identity theft and prevented
billions of dollars from being wrongly paid out to fraudsters.
The
IRS stated that the work of the Security Summit is to strengthen internal
systems and share information across the tax system about fraudsters continues
to show results. Since its inception, the work of the Security Summit has
helped protect millions of taxpayers against identity theft and prevented
billions of dollars from being wrongly paid out to fraudsters.
As the IRS and the Summit partners have strengthened their systems, identity thieves have increasingly turned their attention to stealing underlying tax and financial information from taxpayers, businesses, and tax professionals in hopes of slipping authentic-looking tax returns through the defenses.
“There
has been an increase of these activities on social media, including inaccurate
tax advice that continues to mislead taxpayers. To help counter this, many of
the Security Summit partners have joined together to form the Coalition Against
Scam and Scheme Threats. This group will be increasingly active during the
upcoming tax season,” the IRS stated.
“A
key tool in identifying and defending against these identity theft scams is the
Identity Theft Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which was developed by
the IRS and Security Summit partners to better identify and coordinate against
fraudsters. As the group has strengthened defenses inside the tax system to
spot emerging scams, identity thieves continue to look for new ways to obtain
sensitive personal financial information to file fraudulent tax returns, making
tax professionals and the sensitive tax information of their clients a target
for scam artists.”
The
IRS and Security Summit partners want taxpayers, tax professionals and
businesses to be extra aware during the upcoming holiday season for the threats
listed below.
Social media scams: Bad tax advice on social media can mislead taxpayers about their credit or refund eligibility. Influencers may convince taxpayers to lie on tax forms or suggest the IRS is keeping a tax credit secret from them. Social media posts may put taxpayers in touch with scammers.- Phishing
and smishing: The IRS frequently warns against phishing emails and
smishing texts, which are common tactics used by criminals to steal
personal and financial information. The impersonator wants taxpayers to
send them money. Opening links and attachments may harm their computer.
- Protection
for seniors: Scammers target people over age 65 or nearing
retirement for personal or financial information or money. Often, once
seniors give them money, they ask for more. When scammers trick them to
withdraw from their retirement account, it could affect their taxes.
- Protection
for businesses and tax professionals: The IRS reminds tax
professionals of their legal obligation to have a Written Information
Security Plan and to use multi-factor authentication. Businesses are also
advised to update their security measures and remain vigilant against
cyberattacks.
- Identity
Protection PIN: An identity protection PIN is a six-digit number that
prevents someone else from filing a tax return using a taxpayers Social
Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. If taxpayers
don't already have an IP PIN, they may get an IP PIN as a proactive step
to protect themselves from tax-related identity theft. Anyone with an SSN
or an ITIN can get an IP PIN including individuals living abroad.
·
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also issued
warnings about holiday scams.
· “Scammers are everywhere online –
especially on social media,” the FTC stated. “They sometimes impersonate real
companies and run ads for brand-name products at unusually low prices. But if
you click the link in the ad, it could send you to a “scammy” website designed
to take your money in exchange for a counterfeit item, something that looks
completely different from the picture in the ad, or nothing at all.”
·
When you’re shopping online, the FTC stated,
here are some ways to protect yourself during the holidays and year-round:
- Do some research. Before you buy, search online for the
seller’s name and the website URL the ad sends you to, plus words like
“review,” “complaint,” or “scam” to see what others have to say.
- Pay by credit card, when possible. If you’re charged twice, billed
for something you never got, or get a wrong or damaged item, you can dispute the charge with your credit
card company. And if the seller says you can only pay with a gift card, wire
transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency, it’s probably a scam.
- Keep records. If something goes wrong, having your receipt and
order confirmation number can help you get your money back from the
seller. Also, sellers have to ship your order by the time they or their ads say they will —
or give you the chance to get your money back.
If you think you were scammed,
file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The FBI field office in
Philadelphia notes that the holidays are underway, and with charitable giving
and online shopping surging, the FBI reminds communities to stay alert for
schemes designed to steal your money and personal information.
“The holiday season is a time
to bring people together, but scammers are working to separate you from your
money and personal information,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge
of FBI Philadelphia. “Whether you are shopping, connecting with loved ones, or
looking to give back, there are small, but important steps everyone can take to
better protect themselves online: if you didn’t call them, don’t tell
them—never share personal or banking information on an unsolicited call; If the
link is a mystery, the risk isn’t — don’t click unrequested links; use secure
payment methods; and verify charitable organizations before donating. If you
have any doubt, reach out—call the FBI at 1800-CALL-FBI or report it at
IC3.gov.
“If
a deal you find this holiday season seems a little too good to be true, it
probably is.”
Some of the most common holiday
shopping scams reported to the FBI include:
Non-delivery scams, where you, as a buyer, pay for goods or services you find online, but you never receive your items.- Non-payment scams, where you, as a seller, ship purchased goods or
services, but you never receive payment for them.
- Gift card fraud, where a seller asks you to pay with a pre-paid
card.
The FBI
Philadelphia field office also reminds the public of the charity fraud scams
criminals deploy this time of year to cash in on your kindness.
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