By Kimberly Lankford
Kiplinger’s Money Power
Now that the holiday season is over, it’s not unusual for people to start (or resume) a job search. That’s exactly why job-search scams become more prevalent at this time of year. Some offer work-at-home opportunities that ask for a big up-front fee to get you started. Others gather information from resumes posted online and call and pose as prospective employers, asking for your Social Security number and other personal information so they can do a background check. Instead, they use this information to steal your identity. Research the company and the contact before giving out any information, and see “Guard Against Job-Search Scams” (http://bit.ly/vZKTgh) for steps to protect yourself.
s This is also the time of year when you start to gather your tax documents for filing. Scam artists take advantage of that, too. Some set up shop as tax preparers, either online or in person, aiming for access to the personal information that can help them commit identity theft. (To find a legitimate tax preparer, see “How to Find a Good Tax Adviser” at http://bit.ly/zAhthx). After you file, you may get emails from crooks claiming to be from the IRS and asking for your bank account details so they can direct-deposit your refund. The real plan is to steal your money. Or they may ask for more information about your return in an email with an attachment that carries a virus, infecting your computer (another way to get access to your personal information). The IRS never sends emails about your tax return. And if you get a letter or call that appears to be legitimate, still verify the information by contacting the IRS yourself (see the IRS’s phishing page for details about whom to contact). Also see the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft page at www.ftc.gov/idtheft, the government’s www.OnGuardOnline.gov page at http://onguardonline.gov, and the FBI’s Be Crime Smart page at www.fbi.gov/scams-safety.
Editor’s Note: Kimberly Lankford is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and the author of Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, $18.95). Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com.
