Avoiding Tax Season Tricks

The middle of April might feel as though it’s ages away, but the tax deadline will soon be upon us—and so will the online scams.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the country experienced a 50% hike in reported identity theft crimes since 2015, including those related to someone filing a false tax return in a stolen name.

To follow are some timely tips to prevent fraud during the coming months and throughout the year:

• Officials recommend doing your taxes as soon as possible. The Internal Revenue Service only accepts one return per Social Security number. If yours is in early, a criminal cannot submit another with your personal information.
• Imposters often claim to be government agents, but official U.S. agencies will never email or call you demanding payment without mailing you a notice first. Nor will they ask for card numbers via email or phone.
• Regularly review your accounts and activity with free online & mobile banking. We also post your FICO Score ® if you have checking and/or a loan with us. And be sure to check your credit report for shady transactions at least once annually.
• Watch out for unsolicited emails, texts, social media posts or fake sites that prompt clicking on links or sharing valuable data.
• Take advantage of free antivirus or protective software.
• Add a system firewall to prevent unauthorized users.
• Visit us here to see how we’re working to safeguard your resources.