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RTLIPowerPolitics03292026BBlock1130pm_2026-03-29-14-33-35

Welcome back. The IRS is sounding the alarm about scams and fraud schemes targeting you this tax filing season. Harry Chavis, the special agent in charge of criminal investigations for the IRS in New York, sat down with me to discuss how scammers are trying to take advantage of you and what you can do about it. Everybody is looking for the best return they can get. Everybody is looking to save a dime when they can. Uh, it's not always that simple though. What are some of the things people really need to look out for? Yeah, so this time of year, certainly with tax filing season upon us, um, most importantly, taxpayers need to make sure they are identifying and selecting a trustworthy tax preparer. Um, so some of the red flags to look for, uh, you always want a trustworthy preparer who will put their name on the tax return as well as their prepared tax identification number. Uh, if they're not willing to put that on the return, they're not willing to sign the return, that's a red flag. Um, additionally, taxpayers should be aware of being asked to sign a blank tax return. Um, you always wanna make sure you review that return after it's been prepared, uh, line by line, make sure you ask questions if there's something that seems out of the ordinary. Um, a lot of times what you'll see is some of the unscrupulous preparers trying to add credits, uh, or deductions that you're not entitled to. Uh, for example, if you review the return and you see that there is a side business that perhaps you had, uh, lawn maintenance, cutting hair, something of that sort, and you know that's not the case, that's a red flag. You should not sign that return. What if you, um, recognize these things? Should you not sign it, but should you contact the IRS? Who should you talk to if you see this happening? Yes, for sure, um, and, and just recently the IRS has now launched. Um, the ability on the IRS website to file tax fraud information with us. Uh, so if you go to the IRS website IRS.gov/submit a tip, uh, you have the ability to report tax fraud, um, fraud that you perhaps identify with tax return preparers, um, and a much more streamlined process that will come to us and notify us. What are some of the things that scammers are doing to kind of lure in people who again we all could be susceptible to it, trying to save some money. So really what we see this time of year is an uptick in the IRS impersonation scams um and that's where the scammers will try to reach out to you either by phone, text message, email, uh, purporting to be the IRS and that's an attempt to get you to supply your personal information uh once they have that information, then of course they can file tax returns in your name. Um, and other identity steps, uh, fraud steps they can take as well. Are you seeing the use of social media coming into play as well on this? Absolutely. We've definitely in the last number of years seen an uptick with the number of people who are on social media. Certainly things to be aware of and to stay away from is influencers who are on social media. Suggesting that you take fraudulent credits and deductions, um, the best advice is to stay away from that. One thing that you may see is promises by tax return preparers that they can get you a bigger refund than anyone else. Um, the tax laws, the credits, they are what they are. It's no big secret. So if someone's professing that they can get you a larger refund than other preparers, that also is a red flag. Are you seeing through your experience that one group of people are more susceptible to fraud than others when it comes to this time of year? So really, no, scammers do not discriminate. Anyone is fair game. So certainly, you know, you might see some of the romance scams that that target some of the elderly population, those that are vulnerable perhaps who just lost a loved one. We also see scams that perhaps might target military members, but quite honestly, you know, scammers do not discriminate. We're seeing an uptick in romance fraud that turns into tax fraud again. Once these victims become a victim, their information is now out there. Once the scammers have it, they're now transitioning into not only siphoning money out of their financial accounts, but they're using that to file false tax returns in their name. Um, so again when it comes to kind of the online, uh, scams that we spoke of, um, never ever if you're having an online, um, romance with someone, never send money, uh, to anyone that you haven't met in person. Are you seeing people, uh, fall susceptible to collection schemes too where you, whoever's preparing says, oh, I'll make sure that the money gets to you as opposed to it coming through the correct, uh, channel? Yes, and that brings up a really good point, um, when, when you're selecting your tax return preparer. One of the things that you want to make sure you do if you're entitled to a refund, you want that refund coming to you into your bank account. If it's going to be routed to the return preparer's bank account, that should be a red flag that allows them to potentially, you know, get more money than you may be suspecting or than what you're actually entitled to. So you should steer clear of that and be aware of that red flag. Looking at salt, looking at some of these. Changes in the new legislation, the new law, uh, what do you see moving forward as potential threats? So yeah, any time we have new tax legislation, depending on what is in that legislation, it's usually an indicator for us in the years to follow. Um, that there will be folks who take advantage of some of those deductions and credits for perhaps that are there. So for example with the one big beautiful bill, uh, we see the ability, uh, with the deduction on, uh, interest for car loans as well as no, uh, tax on tips and overtime, um, those are areas that we will be focusing in on in the coming years as returns are filed, um, and, and folks should be. Again, as we mentioned, um, checking those tax returns because those are areas where potentially false items could be placed on those tax returns. So in your experience, as soon as there is a new law in place, those scammers are right there looking at how to take advantage. They are, um, I hate to say it from a law enforcement perspective, but oftentimes we are behind the eight ball when it comes to what the scammers are doing. They're often thinking forward, um, and they certainly are looking to take advantage of any of those opportunities when they're presented. And for more information on how you can report fraud or how you can vet tax preparers ahead of time with the help of the IRS, visit our website or the News 12 app and watch News 12 Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:00 a.m. for more of our taxing Long Island series. Still to come on Power and Politics, she already made history in the NYPD. We're showing you how this Long Islander is training the next generation.

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Welcome back. There's a new push to release opioid settlement funds in Nassau County. A protest was held last week outside of the county legislative building after lawmakers and advocates say the county has received $95 million but has only spent about $8 million. A Levittown father spoke at that protest. He lost his daughter to an overdose seven years ago. The opioid settlement fund is a proverbial lifeboat for these people. The simple thing for Nassau County to do is to release that money, ask nonprofits to head this up. For people in recovery, simple. Democratic legislator Elena Nix introduced a new law to protect the funding. She says $13 million from settlement funding was moved to the county's general fund to cover a budget gap last year. The funding is meant for treatment, education, and early intervention. This Women's History Month we are highlighting a trailblazer inside of the nation's largest police department. Chief Martin Matarasso made history as the NYPD's first female counterterrorism chief. Now she's training the next generation. Our senior reporter Tara Rosenblum has her story from Long Island to some of the city's toughest commands. How's everything good? It's career day inside the NYPD. Good Morning. How are you? And Chief Martin Materasso is making her way through the room. Excellent. Give her the good work, but she doesn't need notes. So my father is also retired from the New York City Police Department, and since I was a young girl, it was something that I said I wanted to do. Born in the Bronx, raised on Long Island, Materasso set her sights on the job early. This is the day of. My recruit graduation, but when she got here, she says she had to prove she belonged. When they first looked at me, I think they said, I'm not really sure, but I think once they saw me out in the field, they knew that I came prepared. She moved up through the ranks, taking on some of the toughest commands across the Bronx and Manhattan. Then in 2019 at 42, the mother of two made history, becoming the first woman to lead the. NYPD's Counterterrorism Bureau. Being chosen to lead the Counterterrorism Bureau of the New York City Police Department meant so much to me. I was a young police officer that day on 9/11, and then for women, I think it really shows that you can be anything that you put your mind to. Over the years, different commands, different roles, all leading here. How's the horses? Good. Matt Arasso is now the chief of training, one of our. Top qualities you have to lead with integrity every day. It's a new challenge for them, and they have to be up for the task to do that. The department is rolling out one of its most significant training overhauls in decades focused on tactics, de-escalation, and even situational awareness. As for the next generation of women coming up behind her, lead by example. Tara Rosenblum, News 12. And she is a great example. Thanks for joining us. I'm Rich Barrabe.

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Chairman of the LIRR Commuters Council Gerry Bringmann and MTA Board Member Sammy Chu join the show this week.

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