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Now that the deadline of April 15 approaches quickly, anyone who has not already sent their documents to the IRS should make arrangements to file their taxes. For most people, the thought of make a mistake Or accidentally forget a critical document is looming during the process. But now the IRS also warns that thieves use an "elaborate scam" to try to steal your tax refund.

In relation: The IRS issues a final recall for nearly a million tax reimbursements: "time is exhausted".

In a press release on April 1, the agency issued an updated alert to raise awareness of criminal attempts Taxpayers online accounts. Under the guise of creating one or offering aid to the deposit. Once the crook has access to the portal, he can use it to extract personal information and commit identity theft.

"While the IRS and the partners of the security summit strengthen our internal defenses, the crooks evolve to find new ways to try to steal precious information from taxpayers", IRS commissioner Danny Werfel said, according to the press release. "An online account at IRS.GOV can help taxpayers to consult important details on their tax situation. But the crooks have carried out the sensitive information that is precious there, so they are now focusing on deceiving the people they need help to create an account. "

The agency has said that in many cases, a third party will announce services or approach people on the simplification of registration to an online account. This then gives them access to everything, their address and their social security number to identify the photo and Other sensitive details .

"The whole process you are going to follow to create an account or check a refund or simply to look at the payments you have made, it would all start at IRS.GOV", spokesperson for the IRS Eric Smith said to CNBC. "If someone contacts you saying:" We will help you create an IRS account and send us all your information ", that's a false."

Unfortunately, this type of crime is increasing. IRS says he received 294,138 ID flight reports In 2023, which made it the second worst year in its history and totaling more than $ 5.5 billion in tax fraud, reports CNBC. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

The agency says taxpayers should never agree to ask someone else to create their online account on their behalf. Instead, they should use the agency's official website to create their accounts to avoid missing any money that could come back to it.

"This is just an elaborate scam designed to obtain precious and sensitive tax information that crooks will use to try to steal a refund," Werfel warned in the press release. "This is another reminder that people should be wary of the unexpected staff of the IRS and other financial institutions."

IRS also urges anyone who thinks that a crook has targeted them Report activity by filling out form 14242 and submitting it by mail or on the agency's website.