Idaho Taxpayers: Watch Out For These 6 Red Flags

It's tax season and it's the time of year that can be one of two things for a lot of people: stressful or relieving.

Some people look forward to getting that fat refund while some people dread how much they will wind up owing to Uncle Sam. It's understandable and also why we're here to help make sure that you're not adding any more stress to your plate this tax season.

Scammers are out in full force

We recently just talked about the massive wave of cyber attacks that are hitting Idaho and the rest of the US. If there was ever a "perfect time" for scammers to attack Americans, it would be during tax season.

In January of 2024, the Internal Revenue Service released a statement warning taxpayers to beware of "new client" scams that are rising in popularity among thieves.

According to the IRS, "'new client' scams [are] where identity thieves target accounting groups and tax preparation firms with fake emails."

"These intricate email scams pose a real risk to tax professionals and the taxpayers they represent," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in the press release.

"Cybercriminals try to capitalize on tax season by masquerading as real taxpayers looking for help. What they really want to do is help themselves to the sensitive client data of tax professionals. We urge tax professionals and their employees to be extra cautious when receiving unexpected email solicitations and avoid clicking on links or opening attachments."

Thankfully, our friends at Meridian Police Department shared some useful tips that we're sharing with you so you can protect yourself (and your info) this tax season.