http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/missouriat_2227.mp3
The man on the other side of the phone claiming to be an I-R-S agent may be a fraud.
KSMU's Matt Petcoff tells us why consumers need to watch out for thieves looking to exploit consumers during tax time...
Spring is just around the corner... but so is Tax day.
And, with America rushing to file its taxes, thieves are trying to take advantage of many consumers' eagerness to see returns.
Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon says his office is already receiving complaints about con artists posing as Internal Revenue Service agents hoping to get your personal information.
Travis Ford is the Consumer Education Coordinator for the Attorney General.
He says this scam is nothing new...
With many Americans becoming more and more tech-savvy, giving personal information over the phone or on the internet is becoming common place.
But, Ford says there is an easy way to know when not to give out your personal information.
And, Ford says the attack on eager consumers is not just coming from the other side of the telephone.
Ford says it's not out of the question for an I-R-S agent to contact you, but they would not be asking for Social Security or bank account numbers.
He says the important thing to remember is if someone contacts you asking for personal information, the best thing to do is be skeptical and not give it out.