>>VIC MICOLUCCI: WE WANT TO WARN YOU ABOUT SCAMS THIS MORNING CONNECTED TO THE
FEDERAL CHILD
TAX CREDIT. 15 BILLION DOLLARS
STARTED HITTING PARENTS BANK
ACCOUNTS LAST WEEK AND
CRIMINALS ARE ALREADY TRYING TO
STEAL SOME OF IT.
JOINING US THIS MORNING TO
BREAK DOWN THE WAYS YOU CAN
STAY PROTECTED. IRS SPECIAL
AGENT LAUREN KACZYNSKI WITH THE
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
UNIT THERE. AND CERTAINLY THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE NEED
TO BE AWARE OF.
>> ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME
THIS MORNING.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY SO WE APPRECIATE YOU
COMING ON IN AND LOOKING FOR
THIS, I MEAN 15 BILLION DOLLARS
OBVIOUSLY IT’S SPREAD OUT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT’S
STILL A LOT OF MONEY IT’S
HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN
PEOPLE’S BANK ACCOUNTS AND A
LOT
OF CASES AND THE SCAMMERS
APPARENTLY ARE ALREADY OUT
AFTER IT.
>> AS WITH ANY NEW
GOVERNMENT PROGRAM AIMED AT
HELPING TAXPAYERS CRIMINALS ARE
REALLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO CASH
IN.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: AND WHAT DO
THEY DO AND WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD
ABOUT SO FAR LAUREN.
>> SO AS CAMERAS ARE CONSTANTLY
COMING UP WITH NEW SCHEMES
TRYING TO TAXPAYERS
OFF GUARD. SO WHAT I LIKE TO
REMIND TAXPAYERS OF IS THAT
THERE’S A FEW SIMPLE WAYS TO
IDENTIFY IF AN IRS AGENT IS
REALLY REACHING OUT TO YOU.
THE RULE OF THUMB IS TO
REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE THE FIRST
LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST
CRIMINALS LOOKING TO STEAL
YOUR INFORMATION. SO THINGS TO
LOOK FOR ARE ANY COMMUNICATION
OFFERING ANY ASSISTANCE TO SIGN
UP FOR THE CHILD TAX CREDIT
OR TO SPEED UP YOUR MONTHLY
PAYMENTS THAT’S LIKE IF SCAM.
THE CHILD TAX CREDIT PAYMENTS
ARE GOING TO BE AUTOMATIC.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING
TO GET THE PAYMENTS AS LONG AS
YOU FILED YOUR 2019
2020 TAX RETURNS. THE PAYMENTS
WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DEPOSITED
INTO
YOUR COW. IF YOU RECEIVE ANY
PHONE CALLS OUT OF THE BLUE
FROM SOMEONE PRETENDING TO BE
THE IRS. SPECIFICALLY ASKING
FOR MONEY ARE DEMANDING
IMMEDIATE ACTION. ANYTHING THAT
SEEMS HIGHS VERSION SEE IS
LIKELY A SCAM.
AND THE RULE OF THUMB IS AS
REMEMBER ANYONE ASKING FOR YOUR
PERSONAL INFORMATION.
YOUR BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION
YOUR SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER OR FOR SWIFT
PAIN AT ALL OF THAT IS LIKELY A
SCAM.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: YES, SO WHAT
YOU’RE TELLING
ME IS THE IRS DOES NOT WANT
YOUR INTERNET GAME CARDS THE
GIFT CARDS AT THE SCAMMERS ARE
ALWAYS
ASKING FOR.
>> THAT IS WE ARE NOT GOING TO
HAVE TO PAYMENT VIA GIFT CARD
OR WIRE TRANSFERS OR
DON’T CURRENCY. YOU WON’T GET
THE IRS REACHING OUT.
REQUESTING THOSE TYPES
OF PAYMENTS.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: SO HOW WOULD
YOU OFFICIALLY HEAR FROM THE
IRS BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN THE IRS DOES ACTUALLY HAVE
TO REACH
PEOPLE AND MAYBE CLEAR
SOMETHING UP OR REMIND THEM
THAT THEY OWE MONEY.
>> SHE CERTAINLY SO THE IRS
WILL
TAXPAYERS. MULTIPLE WAYS BUT
OFTEN TIMES YOU’LL GET A
PHONE CALL. THE PHONE CALL
MIGHT INTRODUCE THE AGENT WITH
THEIR BADGE NUMBER AND INFORM
YOU THAT THEY’D LIKE TO ARRANGE
AN INTERVIEW
OR MEETING. OR YOU’LL GET
CORRESPONDENTS IN THE MAIL
ADVISING YOU
YOU THERE’S SOMETHING THAT THE
IRS NEEDS OR ASKING TO REQUEST
A MEETING
BUT IN ANY OF THE INSTANCES
WHEN THE IRS REACHES OUT
TO YOU. THERE WILL NOT BE
DEMANDS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION OR
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT THAT’S THE TAKE AWAY IS REALLY THE URGENCY OF OF THE MESSAGE OR THE
URGENCY OF THE NEED
TO RESPOND. AND JUST REMEMBER
THAT YOU ARE THE FIRST LINE OF
DEFENSE AGAINST THESE CRIMINALS
LOOKING TO STEAL
YOUR MONEY AND YOUR PERSONAL
INFORMATION AND THE WAY TO
PROTECT YOURSELF IS TO EVALUATE
THE SITUATION DETERMINE WHAT IS BEING ASKED AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE ALL RIGHT GOOD ADVICE
RIGHT THERE SPECIAL AGENT
LAUREN KACZYNSKI THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. WE
APPRECIATE YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ALL
RIGHT SO IF YOU AT HOME HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR
PAYMENT. THE IRS SAYS TO VISIT
THEIR WEBSITE DIRECTLY IT IS
IRS
DOT GOV ON THE HOME PAGE
THERE’S A TAB CALLED GET
DETAILS ON THE ADVANCE CHILD
TAX CREDIT IS
PRETTY EASY JUST GO RIGHT THERE
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