Tax-related scams and identity theft remain a serious issue all across the United States, so the Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) reminds taxpayers to remain vigilant in protecting their private information from scam artists wanting to steal their identities for fraudulent refunds during this tax filing season.

 

The Department of Revenue, which has an advanced fraud prevention system in place and continues to adapt and introduce new counter measures, advises people to be on the lookout at home and at work for criminals using phishing schemes, fraudulent phone marketing calls and online cons.

 

ADOR reminds taxpayers the Department will never:

  • Use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue. 
  • Call to demand immediate payment or call about taxes owed without first having mailed out an official notice. 
  • Demand you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the stated amount owed. 
  • Require you to use a specific payment method to pay your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card. 
  • Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. 

The Arizona Department of Revenue reports one scam that continues to surface is the W2 scam, which involves a phishing email sent to someone in a company’s human resources or payroll office. The email appears to be from an executive of that business and asks for confidential payroll information to be emailed immediately. The Department advises companies and their staff to never respond to the email, and instead connect with the person whose name is on the email by phone or in person to confirm its authenticity.

 

Tips for preparing your return:

  • File early and file electronically. E-filing is more secure. 
  • Ensure all the necessary lines and forms are filled out properly. Avoid math errors or miscalculations. 
  • Don’t misspell names or use two different names. Don’t forget to sign and date your return. 
  • Make sure key information like a tax ID number, Social Security number, routing number or account number are correct in all the appropriate boxes. 
  • Double check that all the information and supporting documentation is correct. 
  • If a person gets a phone call from ADOR requesting additional information, you can contact the Department’s Customer Care Center, Local: (602) 255-3381, Toll-free: (800) 352-4090, to confirm the call was in fact from an ADOR official. 

Arizonans with tax-related ID theft questions should contact the Department of Revenue’s Identity Theft Call Center, Local: (602) 716-6300, Toll free: (800) 352-4090 or www.azdor.gov/identitytheft.aspx, the Internal Revenue Service, or the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).