“Knowing the Signs of Potential Tax Fraud”

Financial Horizons: Insights for Building Wealth and Securing Your Legacy

By Dr. Jose G. Cardenas, Chief Tax Strategist at The C & R Group, LLC

Tax fraud doesn’t always look or feel like it. Some scams are subtle, others blatantly aggressive—but they all share one goal: your personal and financial information. 
Staying alert to the warning signs can help you avoid becoming a victim and protect both your identity and your refund.

Why Recognizing the Signs Matters

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), scammers often use urgent‑tone messages, threats, or unexpected offers to trick taxpayers into providing personal data or making payments. IRS+2IRS+2 Recognizing the red flags early gives you the chance to verify legitimacy, stop fraudulent activity, and safeguard your tax filing.

Key Warning Signs of Tax Fraud

Here are some of the most common indicators that you're dealing with a potential scam:

• Requests for personal or financial information, such as your Social Security number or banking details — especially through unsolicited calls, emails or texts.
• Communications claiming to be the IRS or another tax agency that ask you to “verify your information” or pay immediately via unusual payment methods (gift cards, cryptocurrency, etc.). IRS+1
• Poor spelling, grammar, or use of odd URLs that don’t end in “.gov” or appear to imitate legitimate sites with slight misspellings. IRS+1
• Threatening phone calls or messages claiming you’ll be arrested, deported, or face legal action if you don’t act immediately — especially if no prior letter or notice was sent. Piscataqua Savings Bank

What to Do If You See a Red Flag

1. Stop, don’t respond. If you didn’t initiate the contact, don’t engage or click on links.
2. Verify directly. Log into your IRS online account, or call the official IRS phone line (not the number provided in the suspicious message) to check whether the contact is genuine. IRS
3. Document everything. Save copies of emails, messages, screenshots, call logs — it may support an identity Theft affidavit if needed.
4. Report the scam. Forward phishing emails to [email protected], or send suspicious texts to “7726” (SPAM). Jackson Hewitt
5. Consider filing early. Filing your tax return as soon as possible can block a thief from filing a false return under your Social Security number later. Jackson Hewitt

Your Next Step in Protection

Begin your proactive strategy today:

• ✅ Review all recent messages asking for personal/financial information.
• ✅ Set up account alerts and check your credit report for unusual activity.
• ✅ Schedule a review with your tax advisor to ensure your filing has no unexpected flags.

📅 Book your personalized tax strategy and fraud‑protection session now:
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About the Author

Dr. Jose G. Cardenas is a retired U.S. Army Finance Officer and the Chief Tax Strategist at The C & R Group, LLC. With a Doctorate in Business Administration and more than 20 years of experience in financial strategy, tax planning, and legacy building, Dr. Cardenas helps individuals and business owners protect their wealth—and their identities.

📌 *Disclosure: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as personalized legal, tax, or investment advice. Dr. Jose G. Cardenas offers tax‑advisory services through The C & R Group, LLC and may provide insurance strategies through his affiliation with Experior Financial Group.

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