With Tax Season coming down to the wire, and today being April Fools Day, I thought perhaps it was a good time to remind everyone of the need to be vigilant for fraud. Even the IRS has issued alerts on the various schemes that nefarious types will use to try to part an innocent consumer with their hard earned money.

There has been a tremendous surge in recent years in email and telephone scams designed to trick innocent taxpayers into thinking that they are official communications from Uncle Sam. There are even web sites that may look legitimate, but if you look closely, you can see that they aren’t official. When someone gets an email or telephone call from someone pretending to collect monies for a supposed penalty on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service, most people’s blood runs cold. They may even be threatened with imminent arrest if a credit card is not provided immediately.

Remember though, the IRS does not have your email address, nor do they have your home telephone number, or your cell phone number. It’s traditional snail mail for them. If you do get a suspicious telephone call or email, contact your tax professional or contact the IRS directly by telephone or mail by going to https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/How-Do-You-Report-Suspected-Tax-Fraud-Activity%3F

Now, any other friendly April Fools pranks that made you smile? Have you heard the one about…

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