Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says tax time is a good time to get scammed.

One problem, he says, is that unscrupulous tax preparers can use your electronic signature other places, committing forgery.

More tips:

• Do your research before selecting a tax preparer. Make sure you are using a reputable tax preparer before handing over your personal information. Search online for free, in-person tax preparation assistance.
• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also offers tips and resources for veterans filing tax returns.
• Protect your Social Security number. Don’t give out your Social Security number unless there is a good reason for doing so and only if you know to whom you are providing it.
• Apply for and use an Identity Protection PIN. This six-digit number confirms your identity and prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number. Once you receive your PIN, you must provide it each year when you file your federal tax returns. Visit IRS.gov for more information.
• Check that any correspondence claiming to be sent from the IRS has a phone number and contact information that actually belongs to the IRS.
• The IRS will never demand immediate payment via gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment apps or prepaid debit cards, and will not threaten to call immigration or law enforcement on you. These are the hallmarks of a scam. Suspected IRS phone scams can also be reported by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s website and listing “IRS Telephone Scam” in the comments.
• Report unsolicited emails claiming to be from the IRS, or an IRS-related service like the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, to the IRS by emailing phishing@irs.gov.
• Contact the Attorney General’s Identity Theft Unit by calling 866-999-5630.

The attorney general’s consumer fraud phone number in Springfield is 1-800-243-0618