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With income tax filing season in full swing, the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR) is reminding taxpayers to guard their personally identifiable information.

Phishing (as in “fishing for information”) is a scam where fraudsters send text or email messages to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal and financial information that can be used to steal the victims’ identity. Some phishing scams include links to bogus websites intended to mirror official websites like ALDOR’s. Be wary of the fraudulent use by scammers of the ALDOR name or logo and website clones trying to gain access to taxpayers’ financial information to steal their identity.

Scam texts and emails are designed to trick taxpayers into thinking these are official communications from ALDOR, the IRS, or others in the tax industry. These phishing schemes may seek information related to refunds, filing status, confirming personal information, or other tax-related actions.

Bogus sites may ask for information that will be used to file false tax returns, or they may carry malware which can infect computers and allow criminals to access your files or track your keystrokes to gain information.

Always remember – ALDOR will not send unsolicited texts or emails asking for your personal information.