Child Tax Credit scams among ‘hottest’ cons this summer: Kurt the CyberGuy
IRS warned about growing number of scams in July
‘The CyberGuy’ explains Child Tax Credit-related scams
Kurt Knutsson, often known as ‘The CyberGuy,’ on what you should know about Child Tax Credit scams.
The "hottest" scams right now are related to the Child Tax Credit, according to technology expert Kurt Knutsson.
Knutsson, often known as "The CyberGuy," explained that as Americans start to receive Child Tax Credit payments from the IRS, "online criminals are amping up their dirty tricks."
"The scam is fooling people to click a malicious link that leads to a fake IRS website," he said on FOX Business’ "Mornings with Maria" Friday. "Another version of the same scam sends you to a message appearing to originate from the secretary of the Treasury. It asks the victim to complete an eligibility form – the whole thing is bogus."
The IRS warned taxpayers about a growing number of these scams in July when the agency had just begun sending Child Tax Credit payments to qualified households.
IRS WARNS TAXPAYERS ABOUT CHILD TAX CREDIT SCAMS AS PAYMENTS REACH HOUSEHOLDS
These are the ‘hottest’ scams to watch out for this summer
Kurt Knutsson, often known as ‘The CyberGuy,’ breaks down the top cons Americans should look out for this summer.
"Taxpayers should be on the lookout for a variety of phone, e-mail, text message and social media scams targeting families eligible for the credit," an IRS statement said.
Knutsson also highlighted other "red flags" to keep an eye out for including, copyright infringement notices, messages about helping you stop subscription fees, messaged from friends that seem to be in a different tone or cadence and confirmation emails that lead you to divulge personal information.
IRS REVEALS 'DIRTY DOZEN' TAX SCAMS FOR 2021
Knutsson told host Maria Bartiromo that the best thing for Americans to do when in doubt is to go directly to the source instead of following a link in a suspicious message.
"A completely legit IRS portal has been created that lets you choose to receive a lump sum in 2022 versus those monthly payments of $300," he said regarding Child Tax Credit payments. "Right now, there's a process to confirm your identity."