VIDEO CONSUMER ALERT: AG Moody Concludes 2024 Tax Season Scam Series with Warning About Direct Deposit Refund Scams

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Release Date
Apr 8, 2024
Contact
Kylie Mason
Phone
(850) 245-0150

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is concluding the 2024 Tax Season Scam Series with a warning about direct deposit refund scams. Scammers may call, text or email potential victims posing as Internal Revenue Service agents claiming a mistake was made with the target’s tax return. The fraudsters then demand that the victim refund the money immediately, usually in the form of wire transfer or gift cards.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “We’re concluding our 2024 Tax Season Scam Series with a warning about direct deposit refund scams. As Floridians finalize their tax filings and wait for refunds to be delivered, it is important to remain vigilant for fraudulent schemes.” 

It is important to know that no matter how convincing the fraudsters may be, the IRS will not text taxpayers about refunds or call demanding payments through untraceable mediums, such as gift cards. 

To avoid direct deposit refund scams, taxpayers should know:

  • IRS agents will never text or email regarding payments;
  • The IRS accepts multiple means of payment and will never require payments to be in the form of wire transfer or gift cards; 
  • The IRS will never call to demand immediate payments through specific methods; and
  • Taxpayers can contact the IRS through the official website to address concerns.

Report tax scams or other fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov. 

The IRS provides online tools to help track tax refunds. You can use the ‘Where’s My Refund?’ webtool or download the IRS2Go mobile app to check the status of a refund.

As the final installment of the 2024 Tax Season Scam Series, Floridians can review previous installments by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com/ConsumerAlert.

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The Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division issues Consumer Alerts to inform Floridians of emerging scams, new methods used to commit fraud, increased reports of common scams, or any other deceptive practice. Consumer Alerts are designed to notify Floridians about scams and available refunds in an effort to prevent financial losses or other harm caused by deceptive practices. Anyone encountering a scam should report the incident to the Florida Attorney General's Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com. To view recent Consumer Alerts and for other information about avoiding scams, visit MyFloridaLegal.com/ConsumerAlert.