College student loses entire refund to fraudulent tax preparer

IRS warns about tax scams

HOUSTON – At just 20 years old, Binja Chuma, a college student studying to be a doctor, learned a painful lesson this year about income tax scam artists.

"He took my entire tax refund — $6,205," Chuma said.

Not only did Chuma pay a supposed tax preparer $600 to do her taxes, she said he then stole her entire refund by arranging to have the entire amount deposited into his bank account.

The man who claimed to be a licensed tax preparer quickly withdrew every penny.

"I work hard the whole year and I pay my taxes, and now all of my effort is gone," Chuma said. "It just hurts so bad. I feel like crying."

The IRS reports income-tax scams are exploding. In 2014, scammers made off with more than $3 billion stolen from taxpayers.

Last year, the IRS reported a 400 percent surge in phishing and computer malware scams used to bilk taxpayers.

"What’s frightening now is that there are scams out there that are even fooling tax preparers," said Robert Martin, a certified public accountant.

Martin has been doing taxes for people for more than 25 years. He said the latest tax scam involves fake phone calls claiming that you owe the IRS delinquent tax payments.

These threatening calls sound very legitimate, Martin said. The scammers are known to tell people that if they fail to pay immediately, they will be arrested in their homes.

"Some of these guys will say that the local sheriff is coming out. That the local police are going to come to your house if you don’t send the money you owe by wire, by Western Union, by credit card or by asking you to purchase a prepaid debit card," Martin said.

Another ploy to watch out for is the "fake email" scam. This is where the scam artists send you an email that looks legitimate with the IRS logo at the top and ask you to send all kinds of personal information, including your Social Security number, birth date and address.

"The IRS already has that information," Martin said.

There is also usually a link you are asked to click on.

"Whatever you do, do not click on that link or ever forward it to anyone," Martin said. "It is designed to allow the scam artists easy entry into your computer and all of your critical information."

As for Chuma, who continues to work full-time and pays her way through Houston Community College, the fake tax preparer who ripped her off has vanished along with her refund money.

"My plans are all ruined," Chuma said. "I don’t have money for tuition. When I think of all that, I feel like crying. It's awful."

There are ways to protect yourself from being tricked by these scammers:

  • File your taxes early before the scammers can file using your name and information.

  • Remember that the IRS should never contact you by email or by phone. The IRS always begins contact with you through U.S. mail.

  • Never agree to pay anything related to the IRS with a credit card, debit card, prepaid money card or gift card over the phone. The IRS will never ask you to pay anything over the phone.

  • If you have any questions about anything you receive that looks like it is coming from the IRS and you are not sure about it, call a professional tax preparer who is recommended to you by someone you trust.

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About the Author:

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make people’s lives a little bit better. As KSAT’S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.