Tax season leads to an increase in scam attempts, as scammers will try to impersonate the IRS or other government officials.  Government agencies will never call, email, text, or message you on social media for personal information or payments.  Please review these important tips to avoid scammers and fraudulent schemes:

• Stay informed. Knowledge gives you power over scams.  The IRS' annual Dirty Dozen list includes a variety of common scams taxpayers may encounter anytime.  However, many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their returns or hire someone to help with their taxes.  You can also click here to sign up for alerts on new scams.
  
  
• Slow down and take your time. Scammers often pressure you to act urgently.  Don't take the bait.  Trust your gut instinct there is something fishy going on and reach out to family members or professionals when unsure if you’re being scammed.
  
  
• Avoid IRS impersonators. The IRS will not call you with threats of jail or lawsuits.  The IRS will not send you an unsolicited email suggesting you have a refund or need to update your account.  The IRS will not request any sensitive information online.  These are all scams, and they are persistent.  Don’t fall for them.  Forward IRS-related scam emails to phishing@irs.gov.  Report IRS- impersonation telephone calls at www.tigta.gov.
  
  
• Protect your tax return. Taxpayers who can validate their identities can obtain an Identity Protection PIN.  An IP PIN is a six-digit code that prevents an identity thief from filing a fraudulent tax return using your Social Security number.  To learn more and obtain a pin, click here.

• Gather all tax-related documents.  The first thing you should do is gather all applicable records before starting to prepare your tax return.  Having everything you need at hand will help ensure a complete and accurate tax return while avoiding errors that could delay your refund.
• Ready to file? Use electronic filing. The IRS encourages taxpayers to use electronic filing methods such as IRS Free File or an online tax preparation software of your choice.  E-filing will enable you to receive a refund faster, minimizes errors, and identifies potential tax credits or deductions for which you may qualify.
  
  
• Verify your personal information. E-filing software will automatically populate your personal information to help prevent errors and save time.  Always double check that your name, birthdate, Social Security number, banking routing/account numbers, filing status, and other personal information are accurate as soon as you begin filing your tax return.
  
  
• Check the status of your refund: The IRS My Refund tool can help you track the status of your tax refund.  Your refund status will appear around 24 hours after you e-file, 3 or 4 days after you e-file a prior year return, or 4 weeks after you file a paper return.  

If you or your accountant have questions or need assistance with anything related to filing your taxes or the IRS in general, visit my website at rouzer.house.gov, or call my office at (910) 395-0202 for additional assistance.  Although I cannot override the decisions made by the IRS, I can often intervene on a person's behalf to answer questions, help find solutions, or just cut through the red tape.

You can also visit irs.gov and use the Interactive Tax Assistant or view their list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to find answers specific to your individual circumstances.