Ask the DA: Recognizing phishing
I have been reading news reports warning about fraudulent schemes being committed with tax refunds. Can you offer advice on how best to protect ourselves from such criminals?
During this time of year, consumers are warned about various attempts by criminals to steal tax refunds, some of which involve the receipt of unsolicited emails claiming to be from the IRS or some IRS-related office. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or any social media tools to request personal or financial information.
Phishing is a scam that is usually done by sending unsolicited emails, and/or websites that pose as legitimate sites in order to lure unsuspecting people into providing personal or financial information.