Agencies warn to avoid coronavirus scams

Ohio taxpayers are being warned about a new wave of coronavirus scams with new stimulus checks.

The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, or IRS-CI, is warning Ohio taxpayers about a new wave of novel coronavirus related scams as the agency delivers the second round of Economic Impact Payments.

The agency stated that in the past several months it has seen a “variety of Economic Impact Payment scams and other financial schemes designed to steal money and personal information from taxpayers.”

The IRS-CI stated in a news release that criminals are taking advantage of the second round of Economic Impact payments — as well as the approaching filing season — to “trick honest taxpayers out of their hardearned money.”

“Criminals have used the Economic Impact Payments and the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to steal from and profit off of victims,” Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in the Cincinnati Field Office, said in a statement. “Being aware of some of the scams can help you protect yourself from falling victim to fraud.”

Look for this

The IRS-CI stated common COVID-19 scans include:

• Text messages asking taxpayers to disclose bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payments.

• Phishing schemes using email, letters and social media messages with key words such as “Coronavirus,” “COVID-19,” and “stimulus” in varying ways. These communications are blasted to large numbers of people and aim to access personally identifying information and financial account information (including account numbers and passwords).

• The organized and unofficial sale of fake at-home COVID-19 test kits (as well as offers to sell fake cures, vaccines, pills, and professional medical advice regarding unproven COVID-19 treatments).

• Fake donation requests for individuals, groups and areas heavily affected by the disease.

• Bogus opportunities to invest in companies developing COVID-19 vaccines while promising that the “company” will dramatically increase in value as a result.

“Although criminals are constantly changing their tactics, taxpayers can help protect themselves by acting as the first line of defense, the agency stated in the news release. “The best way to avoid falling victim to a scam is knowing how the IRS communicates with taxpayers. The IRS does not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does not call people with threats of jail or lawsuits, nor does it demand tax payments on gift cards.”

IRS-CI stated it continues investigating hundreds of COVID-19-related cases with law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad and educating taxpayers about scams.

COVID-19 scams should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-7205721 or submitted through the NCDF Web Complaint Form, the agency stated.

The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies.

Taxpayers can also report fraud or theft of their Economic Impact Payments to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Reports can be made online at TIPS.TIGTA. GOV.

Taxpayers who receive unsolicited emails or social media attempts to gather information that appear to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, should forward the message to phishing@ irs.gov, the agency stated. Taxpayers are encouraged not to engage potential scammers online or on the phone.

More information about COVID-19 scams and other financial schemes can be found on IRS.gov. Official IRS information about COVID-19 and Economic Impact Payments can be found on the Coronavirus Tax Relief page, which the agency stated is updated frequently.

Vaccine scams

The COVID-19 vaccination process is continuing to roll out in Ohio, with Jan. 18 marking the start of Phase 1B. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has warned that along with vaccine distributions comes scams.

The office recommends the following to avoid such scams:

• Verify any vaccine-related information with legitimate news reports. Double-check any new “toogood-to-be-true” news or claims. You may wish to consider contacting your family doctor, your local health department or the statewide Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 call center (833-427-5634) to check on issues you are unsure about.

• Look for some of the red flags of a scam, such as being asked to wire money or send a prepaid money card or gift card to a stranger; being pressured to act immediately; or being told to buy a product or service where the company refuses to provide any information in writing. Also look out if you’re asked to keep conversations a secret.

• You likely will not need to pay anything out of pocket to get the vaccine during this public health emergency. You can’t pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine. You can’t pay to get early access to the vaccine.

• No one from a vaccine distribution site or health care payer, like a private insurance company, will call you asking for your Social Security number or your credit card or bank account information to sign you up to get the vaccine.