New Tax Check Scam!

CONSUMER ALERT!

February 1, 2008

THEY DIDN’T WASTE ANY TIME

Criminals are always looking for new opportunities to take your money, and we expect the impending economic stimulus package being debated in Congress to be a good source of new scams. What we did not expect is for the scams to appear before Congress had finished designing the program. Over twenty (20) consumers in South Carolina have already reported being contacted by person or persons unknown who are offering to automatically deposit the promised tax refund in their bank accounts. The callers have pretended to be with the IRS or the tax department of the Social Security Administration. Of course, if you give your bank account information, nothing will be put in but a lot (if not all) will be taken out. As of this date, we do not have reports of anyone in Colorado who has been victimized, but we know these scams will come to our state.

To protect yourself:

1. Carefully track the news accounts about the economic stimulus program so you know what is happening and when it will begin. Most reports say that payments will not be issued until May or later.

2. If you have any questions about the tax refund program or about any strange contacts you might receive, call your local law enforcement agency or district attorney’s office BEFORE you take any action!

3. NEVER give personal information to anyone who contacts you, regardless of who they claim to be.

Once the details of the program are established, we will be issuing a new CONSUMER ALERT describing how the refunds will be administered.

Need help? Call the Consumer Protection Line 720-874-8547