Old National Bank warns of new IRS tax scam

Old National Bank was recently notified by the IRS of a new scam and Tammy Melcher of the local branch has asked us to share this information with our readers.

The scam works in the following way. The scammers will file 2017 tax returns without the victim’s knowledge. The refund will be deposited into the victim’s bank account using information found on prior tax returns. The scammers will then call the victims, posing as employees of the IRS or of a debt collection agency working on behalf of the IRS. They will ask the taxpayer to take certain steps to return the refund but the refund will go to the criminals.

If you receive your refund without filing your taxes, and/or receive a call that your refund was incorrect and you need to return it either from “the IRS” or a “collection agency working for the IRS” you may be a victim of this scam. The IRS explains the scam more fully and how to return a fraudulently requested refund here.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.