COVID-19 scams increasing for taxpayers

During disasters and national emergencies, there is often a rise in the number of fraudulent calls and emails by individuals looking to use the crisis for their personal gain.

Important things to remember when working with the Department of Revenue (DOR) on tax issues:  

1. DOR does NOT charge businesses to access relief options.  
    
2. DOR employees will NOT call and ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. If you call DOR, you may be asked to confirm the last four digits of your Social Security Number to confirm your identity.
   
   If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from DOR asking for your social security number, bank account, or credit card number, hang up, and contact us at 360-705-6705. You may also report suspicious calls to the Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fraud line.

   Note: Taxpayers may receive a call from DOR agents or from our Initial Contact Team (ICT) regarding the taxpayer’s business account. DOR agents will leave a message asking taxpayers to return their call. Call back phone numbers can be for a specific DOR agent assigned to a taxpayer account or from the ICT’s number, 253-661-4279. If you are unsure whether a call or message from DOR is legitimate, call the department at 360-705-6705 or the ICT at 253-661-4279 for additional information and assistance. 

   Additionally, regardless of your account status, you may receive a call from DOR with important information about changes to office availability or access to DOR resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Beware of people who solicit and charge for tax services to help your business during this state of emergency. Taxes may be complicated, but getting help is not.