FTB warns of tax season scams

SACRAMENTO – The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has issued a warning to businesses and individuals that identity theft and refund fraud schemes are off to a rampant start this filing season.

Employers in particular are a target for scammers disguising themselves as human relations officers in order to steal employee data. When criminals are able to successfully steal an employee’s information, they often file a fraudulent tax return in an attempt to claim and redirect a taxpayer’s refund.

About 100 businesses employing 126,000 individuals were hit by scammers last year. By comparison, about 80 busi...