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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Internal Revenue Service warned parents Wednesday to ignore scams that promise a speedier refund on a child tax rebate going to 25 million familes this summer.
The IRS has detected isolated instances of calls to parents, where the caller promises a faster return if the taxpayer agrees to pay a $39.99 charge by credit card. The taxpayers finds they have been charged much more.
Taxpayers do not have to do anything to claim the child credit. "The only thing the taxpayer needs to do is cash the check," said IRS commissioner Mark Everson.
The Treasury Department will send the checks to taxpayers in late July and August.
Taxpayers who believe they have been the target of an illegal tax scam can call the IRS fraud hotline at 1-800-829-0433.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
