DES MOINES – Another tax scam has surfaced, prompting alerts from the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Here’s how it works: It begins with cyber criminals stealing personal information, sometimes from computers of tax practitioners. In a new twist, the fraudulent returns in a few cases used the taxpayers' real bank accounts for the deposit. A woman posing as a debt collection agency official then contacted the taxpayers to say a refund was deposited in error and asked the taxpayers to forward the money to her.
As a reminder, the Iowa Department of Revenue does not make these types of calls. If you feel you have been the victim of identity theft, please report it to us immediately using our web form or if you do not have computer access by calling (515) 281-5986.
The IRS news release, which includes information for tax professionals, is located here.
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