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Don’t Let Scammers Claim Your Information This Tax Season

Summary Tax season creates opportunities for scammers looking to steal personal and financial information. Stay alert and protect your identity by recognizing common tax-related fraud schemes.Key Takeaways
  • Be cautious of unexpected tax-related communications.
  • Protect personal and financial information during tax season.
  • Verify requests claiming to come from tax authorities.
  • Act quickly if you suspect fraud.
It’s that time of year again – tax time. And it’s also scammers’ favorite time to impersonate online tax services, the IRS and yes, even Summit, to try to trick you into giving out personal and private information.Remember these tips to avoid scam attempts:
  • Offers of massive tax returns that sound too good to be true usually are. Social media ads can mislead you about credits and refunds, putting you in touch with someone (a scammer!) to help you claim these offers.
  • True tax professionals would never demand you pay returns now “or else.” Scammers like to add a high-pressure threat, like arrest or deportation, to try to make you pay up before thinking through the situation.
  • Don’t click on any links you receive in texts or emails or see on social media. Instead, search for the business or organization yourself to find their actual website.
  • Summit Credit Union will NEVER ask for your personal information through an email, online chat, or unsolicited phone call, text or visit. That’s always a red flag, no matter what.
Plus, keep these tips in mind for protecting your information from scammers in the first place:Place a credit freeze on your report with all three credit bureaus for FREE. This can be done separately through each bureau's website (Equifax.com, Experian.com and TransUnion.com). When you're ready to apply for credit, simply log into each site and "unfreeze" your report before submitting an application.Don’t overshare on social media. Use privacy settings to hide your birthdate, employer, family members or other identifying info. And think twice before joining the trend of sharing your “list of favorites” or your first pet, car, job, etc. Secure your devices. Even if public Wi-Fi requires a password, it doesn’t mean it’s secure. Avoid accessing financial accounts or shopping online unless you’re using a secured website. Also, make sure your devices are password-protected (typically done in your device’s settings) and have the latest anti-virus software.If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam, reach out to us right away at 800 236 5560. And if you’ve experienced a fraud attempt or have heard about a scam you’d like to report, email us at . Please do not email any private or personal information.

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