Scam Season Is Here: What Winchester Residents Need to Know

February 22, 2026 • Community, Cybersecurity

Hey folks, Skits here. Tax season is prime time for scammers, and Winchester and Frederick County aren't immune. Let me walk you through the most common schemes so you know what to watch for.

The Big One: Fake IRS Calls

You get a phone call from someone claiming to be an IRS agent. They sound official. They might even have a fake badge number. They tell you that you owe back taxes and threaten immediate arrest if you don't pay right now — with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

Here's what you need to know:

• The IRS will NEVER call you out of the blue demanding immediate payment.
• The IRS will NEVER demand gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
• The IRS will NEVER threaten immediate arrest over the phone.
• The IRS contacts people primarily by mail.

If you get one of these calls, hang up immediately. Don't engage. Don't press any buttons. Just hang up.

Phishing Emails: The Tax Edition

Watch for emails like these:

• "Claim your tax refund now"
• "Problem with your tax return — action required"
• "Your account has been locked"
• "Important document from your bank"

Red flags to look for:

• Urgency language — "ACT NOW" or "IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED"
• Generic greetings like "Dear Taxpayer" instead of your name
• Suspicious sender addresses that don't match the organization
• Requests for sensitive information like Social Security numbers
• Links that don't match where they claim to go (hover before you click!)

Got a suspicious email and not sure if it's real? Forward it to me or give me a call at 540.303.2410. I'd rather look at 100 legitimate emails than have one person fall for a scam.

The Refund Scam

This one's sneaky. Scammers file a fake tax return using stolen personal information, and a refund gets deposited into your bank account. Then they contact you, pretending to be the IRS, saying there was an "error" and you need to return the money. Before the bank catches the fraud, you've sent your own money to a criminal.

If you receive an unexpected deposit, contact your bank first — don't respond to anyone claiming to be the IRS.

Fake Tax Preparers

Warning signs of a fraudulent tax preparer:

• They guarantee a large refund before even seeing your documents
• They charge a percentage of your refund instead of a flat fee
• They ask you to sign a blank return
• They refuse to sign the return themselves
• They want your refund deposited into their account

The Three Questions

When something feels off, ask yourself:

1. "Does this feel right?" — Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.
2. "Who can I call?" — Verify before you act. Call the IRS directly, call your bank, call Jerry.
3. "Why the rush?" — Legitimate organizations don't demand immediate action. Scammers do.

What to Do If You've Been Scammed

1. Don't be ashamed. Scammers are professionals. Smart people fall for these every day.
2. Contact your bank immediately if you shared financial information.
3. Change your passwords if you clicked a suspicious link.
4. Report it: treasury.gov/tigta, ftc.gov/complaint, or identitytheft.gov
5. Consider a credit freeze if sensitive information was compromised.

The goal here is awareness, not paranoia. You don't need to be afraid of every phone call or email. Just take a beat, ask those three questions, and verify before you act.

Something seem fishy? Call us at 540.303.2410. We're happy to take a look.

Skits says: Want to sharpen your scam-spotting skills? Take our free Stay Safe Online course — it covers phishing, scams, and how to protect yourself in about 10 minutes. And while you're thinking about taxes, get your tax documents organized too!

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