DELAWARE - The Delaware Department of Finance and the Division of Revenue are warning Delawareans of a surge in deceptive text messages claiming to be from the Division of Revenue.
According to Delaware officials, the texts claim that the recipient’s taxpayer refund has been processed and approved and request the person’s “valid payment information.” The fraudulent messages go on to say the tax refund will be forfeited if no response is received.
“Do not click on any links or respond to these messages,” The Delaware Department of Finance urges residents. “The Delaware Division of Revenue does not send text messages requesting personal or financial information, and there is no such thing as automatic forfeiture of a tax refund due to lack of response.”
Officials say scammers may rely on fear and urgency to coax victims into quick action, while possibly using publicly available information such as names or phone numbers to appear more legitimate.
To help avoid falling for scams, the Division of Revenue offers the following tips:
-Don’t Rush: Scammers create a false sense of urgency. Take your time to review any unexpected communications carefully.
-Verify the Source: Never trust contact information provided in a suspicious message. Instead, visit delaware.gov and log into your portal account or call the official hotline to verify if a legitimate notice was issued.
-Watch for Red Flags: Be cautious of messages lacking details about your specific tax account or those that don’t include a return mailing address. Official notices will always contain verifiable contact and account information.
-Protect Your Information: Never share personal or financial details in response to unsolicited messages. Only provide information through verified and secure channels.
The division asks anyone who is unsure of their tax refund or account to contact Public Service at 302-577-8200.