New IRS scam NJ residents should be aware of

As we quickly approach the April 15th deadline to file your income tax returns, the scammers are working harder than your accountant to get your money ... illegally.

Scammers are getting more and more sophisticated in their efforts to fool you. One of their best weapons is fear and no agency strikes fear in the hearts of Americans than the IRS. Beware if you get a message from someone claiming to be from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Here is just how one of the latest scams works.

Victims receive a text message that appears to be from the IRS, stating they are owed an Economic Impact Payment. The message urges them to provide personal information to process the supposed payment. Scammers promise the money will be deposited into a bank account or mailed as a check within 1-2 business days. A link mimicking an official IRS webpage is included — clicking it may install malware or lead to a fake form designed to steal sensitive details.

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Canva / TSM illustration

Unfortunately, that is not the only way the scammers are using our fear of the IRS to get our money. Earlier this year the IRS put out a list of their annual "dirty dozen."

The IRS also reminds taxpayers that beyond the Dirty Dozen, there is a wide array of other abusive schemes and bogus tax avoidance strategies that can mislead well-intentioned taxpayers. If something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. It's best to always double-check by contacting the IRS on your own and not clicking on any unsolicited links from unknown sources.

Ignore these calls, NJ! Area codes you should never pick up

While dodging scam calls can feel a bit like playing “Wack a mole” on the boardwalk, there are some area codes that are giant red flags, as collected by the Better Business Bureau and socialcatfish.com:

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt