Scammers preying on seniors or college students by impersonating tax authorities, soliciting “follow-up information” on a tax form, and collecting identification numbers and social security information are some of the schemes taxpayers might face during the tax season.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued tips to protect people from tax preparation scams. He also asked taxpayers to notify his office of any suspected fraudulent schemes designed to steal personal and financial information from consumers.

As taxpayers begin to receive W-2 forms, IRS impersonation schemes tend to flourish. Some scammers have even gone to the extreme of using “spoofing technology” to make their caller ID numbers come up to look like they are from the IRS. The attorney general says his regional offices throughout the state have received multiple complaints from consumers about tax preparation schemes like these.

In addition to these scams, there are tax preparation businesses that take advantage of consumers through a variety of other deceptive practices. One common tactic is to advertise low fees to get the customer in the door, only to increase the final fee by hundreds of dollars, claiming the tax return was more complicated. There are also offers of "instant cash" to help a consumer pay bills while waiting for their refund, but they can come with undisclosed fees and high interest rates. In addition, some well-meaning tax preparation businesses are just not equipped to handle the volume of business they take in, resulting in delays in getting the refund that one might have paid a premium to get fast.

“Preying on the desperation of people in a tough economy is unconscionable,” said Schneiderman. “Tax season is stressful enough as it is - the last thing New Yorkers need to worry about is having their identities stolen by unscrupulous scammers. While there are plenty of legitimate and law-abiding tax preparers doing business, there are some who use the allure of fast cash to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. When hiring tax preparation services, consumers must have as much information as possible to protect themselves from fraud, and should file a complaint if they feel they've been victimized.”

He listed these tips for consumers:

• Use recognizable and established companies

• Check the tax preparer's qualifications

• Check the tax preparer's history through the Better Business Bureau

• Check for disciplinary actions and verify licenses

• Find out about disclosed and undisclosed service fees

• Avoid those who base their fees on a percentage of your refund

• Make sure the tax preparer is accessible, even after the April due date

• Never sign a blank return

• Review entire return before signing

• Make sure the preparer signs the tax form and includes a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN)

• Check out free information services from your local government and online

• Avoid "too good to be true" promises

• Consult New York's "Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers"

Consumers should also beware of refund anticipation loans (RALs) and refund anticipation checks (RACs). RALs are often marketed as "instant" or "24-hour" refunds but are actually high cost loans than come with fees and interest that reduce the amount of any refund. New York requires RALs to be marketed as loans, not refunds. RACs are temporary bank accounts established on behalf of a taxpayer into which a direct deposit refund can be received, but these also come with fees that will reduce a consumer's refund.

Consumers can avoid the costs of refund anticipation loans and checks by filing their return electronically and having refunds directly deposited into their own bank account.

Schneiderman is also reminding New Yorkers that there are Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites where consumers can get their tax returns prepared free of charge. For more information about how to qualify and identify a VITA location site go to: www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=107626,00.html.