skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI' Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong, lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least seventeen states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

As Tax Returns Come Back, Scam Season Heats Up

play audio
Play

Monday, May 1, 2017   

BOISE, Idaho – Tax Day has come and gone, which means people are receiving their tax refunds.

It also means it's high season for scams.

An IRS scam has been sweeping the nation recently, with fraudsters calling victims and demanding that they owe the tax agency money.

Cheryl Tussey, who has worked with AARP Idaho on fraud prevention and education for two decades, says seniors are especially vulnerable to these scams. She shares her number one rule when it comes to tax scams.

"The IRS will never call you,” she emphasizes. “It's so important that people understand that. They do not call. They will contact you by mail first if there's a problem. They do not call you. And if folks can remember that, they can just hang up."

Tussey says scams are especially prevalent from January through the end of May. She stresses that people should never give out personal information over the phone and should shred any documents with sensitive information on them rather than simply throwing them away.

Tussey has heard many heart-wrenching stories of seniors, often on fixed incomes, who have been defrauded out of thousands of dollars.

Identity theft is common throughout the year. So are other scams, such as the so-called "grandparent scam," where a thief calls and pretends a person's grandchild is in jail and in need of bail money.

Tussey says these scams persist in new iterations and may never go away.

"I don't believe we'll ever be able to stop the initiation of old and new scams and frauds, but we can decrease the number of victims via these education opportunities," she states.

AARP Idaho holds events free to the public called Scam Jams across the state where speakers, such as Tussey and state officials, offer tips on how to avoid scams and frauds.

The next Scam Jam is at the College of Idaho in Caldwell on May 25.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021