The tax season is about half over. By now, a large number of people have already filed their taxes and are waiting for a refund. But for some, there's still time. It doesn't matter which group you fall into, however, you should be cautious of the tax time identity theft scams that are making the rounds.
One tax scam that surfaced in Texas, for example, features a legitimate looking request from the IRS for the recipient to fill out form W-4100B2. The tax payer is to fill out the requested information (name, date of birth, address, Social Security number, bank account number, and more) and fax it back to the "IRS" before refunds can be released.
The IRS doesn't communicate with tax payers through email, though, so these kind of scams should be easy to spot. Still, you should use caution about any communications that you receive through email, especially those that request your personal information. And when in doubt about tax-related communications, call the IRS directly (1-800-908-4490). And if you're certain you've received a phishing email related to taxes, you can forward it to phishing@irs.gov.