Full Notification

Each year, Moraga residents are victimized by criminals who fraudulently steal from them via tax scams. Be aware of these popular scams that have been used in the past:

**Identity Theft - criminals will steal your identity and/or Social Security Number and file a false return to claim a fraudulent refund. Always secure your information and, if you receive a notice regarding a return that you have not filed, contact the IRS immediately.

**Telephone Scams - criminals will call and pretend they are from the IRS, claiming that you owe money. The IRS does not make cold calls to collect money. Also, the IRS does not demand payment via Western Union or Green Dot cards. The caller may use a number of tactics to convince you, including spoofing their number (fake caller ID), using a fake name and badge number, using background noise to make it sound as if it is a call center and making threats of jail. DO NOT GIVE MONEY OR INFORMATION TO THESE CRIMINALS!! If you have a question about your tax status, call the local IRS office (Walnut Creek - (925) 974-3898 or Oakland - (510) 907-5000).

**Phishing - criminals send you fake e-mails to convince you to complete a form and/or submit or send them your information. Some of these will also allow them to obtain information directly from your computer when you click on a link on their e-mail. Again, neither the IRS nor your bank sends you e-mails to collect information or money. If you have a question about the validity of an e-mail from the IRS or your bank, call the sender. IRS or bank security personnel may want you to forward the fake e-mail so they can work to track the responsible parties.

For a more complete list of tax season scams, go to www.irs.gov.

Please contact the Moraga Police Department at 925-284-5010 to report crimes or for more information.

Thank you for helping us keep Moraga one of California's safest communities.