SOLANCONEWS.com -- Cutler's Commentary

Cutler's Commentary: Beware of Tax Refund Scams
By Bryan Cutler, State Representative, 100th Legislative District
HARRISBURG -- With April 15 approaching, I wanted to remind you to be extra cautious of the potential for scam artists trying to take advantage of any federal tax refunds or economic stimulus rebates that may come your way. The state Attorney General has issued warnings to consumers to be on the alert for such scams.

The unscrupulous scam artists often capitalize on current events, such as the federal economic stimulus refund, to gain the trust of consumers. To avoid scams, be wary of anyone asking you to provide personal information such as:

Social Security numbers.

Bank account information.

Birth dates.

Addresses.

The scammer may tell you that this information will be used to verify your claim, but they could be trying to steal your identity and gain access to your financial information.

It is important to note that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other federal and state agencies will not request your personal information by telephone or by e-mail.

Consumers also need to carefully check the Web sites they visit to ensure that they are not copies, but are the official government sites.

The best way to keep your personal information private is to contact banks and state agencies directly though telephone numbers, Web sites and addresses that have been published in directories or other verified sources. You should be leery of any entity that contacts you requesting your personal information.

If you have been the victim of a scam artist, contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555.

For more information, contact my office at (717) 786-4551 or visit my Web site at www.RepCutler.com.

Editor's Note: Cutler's Commentary is a monthly column, written by Rep. Cutler.