California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a warning to residents about ongoing text-based scams targeting taxpayers. These scams involve messages that appear to come from the State of California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), asking individuals to provide personal information under the pretense of processing tax refunds.
Attorney General Bonta cautioned Californians about these fraudulent communications, stating, “Californians: Be on alert for texts from seemingly official government agencies that seem fishy — they might indeed be phishing scams designed to trick you out of your hard-earned money. Bad actors are getting more sophisticated and show little signs of slowing. I urge Californians to not click on links in texts asking consumers for personal information, visit only official websites, and talk to friends and family who may be unaware of these dangers.”
State Controller and FTB Chair Malia M. Cohen also commented on the issue: “Sadly, FTB and other California agencies constantly battle bad actors attempting to steal your money. These scammers may impersonate tax agency representatives to steal your personal information. If you ever have doubts about the authenticity of a text, email, or phone call claiming to be from FTB, IRS, or any other government agency, contact the agency directly to verify whether there’s an issue that requires your attention.”
The FTB advises against replying to suspicious messages or clicking on links if their authenticity is uncertain. Instead, individuals should confirm questionable communications by contacting agencies directly using official channels. Additional guidance can be found on the FTB’s text messaging page and through resources linked by state authorities.
Text-based scams are particularly concerning because recipients may act quickly without verifying legitimacy, potentially exposing passwords or sensitive financial data such as bank account numbers or Social Security numbers.
Other prevalent tax-related frauds include fake phone calls demanding payment with threats of arrest or legal action; phishing emails requesting personal details under false pretenses; and identity theft resulting in stolen tax refunds when criminals file returns using someone else’s information.
Authorities recommend several steps for protection: avoid sharing personal data with unknown contacts; remain cautious with unsolicited requests for payment methods like gift cards or wire transfers; hang up immediately if contacted by supposed officials making demands over the phone; use strong passwords when filing taxes electronically; never sign blank tax forms; and discuss suspicious situations with trusted friends or family members.
Those who believe they have been targeted by a scam are encouraged to report incidents to both the Internal Revenue Service and California Franchise Tax Board. More information is available at oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/taxes.
