Watch out for tax season scams

Tax season for some means getting a good hunk of change in your pocket, for others it means writing a big ole check to the government. Whichever category you fall in, hopefully the first one, you want to do your taxes right.

It can take a professional to crunch the numbers and you want to be careful who you choose.
Stephanie Knight at the Better Business Bureau says they get tons of calls and complaints this time of year.

She gave us some tips on how to wade threw the mess.

First she says you need to pick your prepper. There a different types for different needs.

"If you are a straight-forward W-2, a single form or two you can probably work with an enrolled agent but if you have some businesses or rental property or other investments you really want to check out a CPA or enrolled agent somebody that's going to have a little bit more professionalism, licensing and ongoing education,” said Knight.

Wherever you go, make sure to check credentials.
Also, note that CPAs are the only professional that can represent you with the IRS.

You want to avoid signing a blank return, that’s when you go a head and sign your tax return when its not 100 percent complete.

"You should review everything someone puts in front of you. Especially a tax return or a document or a contract and you don’t want to sign anything with missing blocks or squares or information that’s not complete,” said Knight.

The BBB is also warning about companies, often car lots, which let you spend your return before you even get it. It’s like a loan, until the process is complete but with any loan there is interest and until its complete you cant know how much you are going to get.

"There’s a lot of stuff they need behind the tax return. They can’t make those kind of projections they need to work the numbers and go through the forms in its entirety," said Knight.

As with any season scammers are on the prowl.
If you choose to enlist in online tax prep make sure it is a reputable company.

Also, don’t trust emails or phone calls that claim to be with the IRS.

"Federal agencies work by snail mail. They communicate with a taxpayer or a citizen via mail so that’s always a tip when you are dealing with any federal agency," said Knight.

As with any business, if you have a question just dial the BBB.