State officials warn Hoosiers of scams on tax refund, inflation relief payments

Indiana state officials are warning Hoosiers about scams related to the automatic taxpayer refund and inflation relief payments.

Last year, the state triggered its automatic taxpayer refund law because of unusually large revenue collections. That ultimately meant sending $125 to every Hoosier who filed a tax return last year. And state lawmakers recently approved an inflation relief package that will mean another $200 each to taxpayers.

READ MORE: Indiana Department of Revenue automatic taxpayer refund FAQ

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But with those payments also comes concerns about scams. The money will only come in the form of a direct deposit or a paper check. The state is telling Hoosiers to ignore any texts, emails or phone calls related to the taxpayer refund or inflation relief payments. That’s especially true if the messages contain links or request personal or financial information such as Social Security or bank account numbers.

If you receive one of these messages, you can report it to the Indiana attorney general’s office. You can do so online, by filing a complaint with the office’s consumer protection division.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.