WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES APRIL 11, 2019 27
TAX GUIDE
Last-minute warning about dangerous tax scams
Ahead of this year’s annual
Tax Day on April 15, Attorney
General Letitia James provided
taxpayers with tips to help avoid
fraudulent tax schemes.
The Attorney General also urged
New Yorkers to stay vigilant and
report any suspected scams
intended to steal personal and
financial information from
consumers to the Attorney
General’s Office.
“Tax season is ripe with
opportunity for scammers to prey
on hard-working New Yorkers,”
said James. “These bad actors use
a wide range of tactics to illegally
cheat residents out of their
money, including individuals who
impersonate the IRS and businesses
that bait-and-switch their tax
preparation services. Armed with
the tips and resources provided
by my office, I urge New Yorkers
to remain vigilant as they prepare
to file their taxes and encourage
them to notify my office if they
encounter any tax scams.”
Scams that New Yorkers should
be on the lookout for include, but
are not limited to:
• Scammers who impersonate
U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS,
the Taxpayer Advocate Service, or
other government officials and call
taxpayers in an attempt to collect
phony tax debts;
• Scammers who claim consumers
owe past tax debts and insist that
consumers pay using a prepaid
credit card or gift card;
• Tax preparation businesses
that advertise low fees to get the
customer in the door, then increase
the final fee by hundreds of dollars
claiming the tax return was more
complicated than anticipated;
• Taxpayers receiving an
unexpectedly large “tax refund”
from the IRS, which they then must
return because it was stolen from
another individual.
In addition to being vigilant
consumers, New Yorkers should
report potential scams to the
Office of the Attorney General by
submitting a complaint online or
calling the consumer hotline at
1-800-771-7755. Scams should also
be reported to the U.S. Treasury
Inspector General for Tax
Administration at 800-366-4484.
Consumers can avoid the costs
of refund anticipation loans and
checks by filing their return
electronically and having refunds
either mailed or directly deposited
into their own bank account.
The Attorney General reminds
New Yorkers that there are
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) sites where consumers can
get their tax returns prepared free
of charge. F
rom the state Attorney
General’s office
Call Now & End Your Tax Nightmare!
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Co-Author of the
best selling book
“Breaking the Tax Code”
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Salvatore P. Candela, EA, ATA, ABA
Enrolled Agent - Tax Advisor
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“Income Tax Professionals”
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516-526-2089
62-70 Fresh Pond Rd., Ridgewood NY 11385
joezel15@gmail.com
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