Tax rebates bring out scammers

NEWS 9

Millions will get a tax rebate in the coming months, and scammers are already trying to get a cut.

Edna Lawrence, 69 years old, says she got a call from a man asking for personal information and saying he was from the Internal Revenue Service.

He said that if she gave him her information he could make sure her check was direct deposited into her bank account. Luckily she didn't fall for it.

"Once he asked me for my checking account number, I knew that my social number would be the next thing he asked for," Lawrence said. "He wasn't about to get either one."

"If they can call 200 people in one day, and can get five to 10 individuals that will provide them with their personal identification numbers and social security and dates of birth and banking information, they have had a successful day," Kevin Kolbye of the FBI said.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson has already heard of the scam happening here in the Sooner state. He says that the IRS won't call you to direct deposit your check, and you shouldn't give your personal information out to anyone over the phone.