News/Events

LITTLE ROCK – As April 15 approaches, advertisements for tax refund anticipation loans (RALs) are ramping up. RALs are high-interest loans that must be repaid by the actual tax return proceeds, essentially borrowing your own money. Car dealerships and other businesses selling high priced items often offer to use RALs as down payments. While offers of immediate cash are often attractive, the products could ultimately reduce the total amount of your refund and may even cost you extra money.

“Reading the fine print is critical to not fall victim to a scam or be deceived by a promotion for a refund anticipation loan,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “If you estimate your tax refund incorrectly when using the RAL as a down money for a large purchase, you are still responsible to pay the difference that your tax refund does not cover.”

These loans are regulated by the Arkansas Refund Anticipation Loan Act of 2009.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge released the following options for Arkansans to consider before agreeing to have your taxes prepared as part of a RAL.

LITTLE ROCK – Renting personal properties for vacations has gained popularity in recent years with the creation of online marketplaces like Airbnb and VRBO. While the home and condo rentals can give visitors access to experiences they may not get staying in a traditional hotel, it can also allow criminals access to credit card numbers, valuable belongings and sensitive information.

“Vacation rentals make the hosts and visitors vulnerable to theft,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “Being aware of risks and taking precautions can protect you and your family from loss.”

With Spring Break weeks away for many Arkansans and a recent uptick in these types of scams, Attorney General Rutledge issued these safety reminders for both hosts and visitors.

Tips for visitors:

• Only rent from reputable, well-known and insured sites.
• Do not move communication and final rental agreements and payments off the trusted website, even if a lower price is promised.
• Be aware if you are renting the whole property, or if the host will be on-site.
• Communicate with the host about your expectations.
• Pay attention to other travelers’ reviews of the property.
• Feel uneasy? Do not rent.

Tips for hosts:

• Only list your property on reputable, well-known and insured sites.
• Add watermarks to photos used for rental postings to make it more difficult for scammers to copy the photos and use them in fraudulent postings.
• Only conduct business on the website, even if the renter wants to pay in cash or requests a lower rate.
• Take, lock up or hide your personal belongings such as bank account information, personal identification information, valuables or sentimental belongings.
• Clearly disclose on the listing any area of the rental property that is off limits.
• Feel uneasy? Do not rent.

Do not be swayed by lower prices or waived fees if offered to conduct business off the reputable site. Communicating and booking outside the website causes safeguards such as insurance and company-wide scam prevention strategies to no longer be valid. If possible, verify the host or renters identity ahead of the stay. Other red flags include properties with few reviews and not enough photos on an advertised site.

LITTLE ROCK – Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau has the important job of counting every living person in our country. Beginning in mid-March, an invitation to participate will either be mailed or hand delivered to each home. If no response is received by May either by mail, online or over the phone, census takers will begin visiting homes and can return up to six times until the questionnaire is completed.

“This is one time every person will be contacted by a government entity,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “It’s important for Arkansans to know which questions will and will not be asked by the Census Bureau and not fall prey to scammers pretending to be the Census Bureau.”

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the questionnaire asks:

• How many people are in the home?
• What is their sex, age, race and ethnicity?
• What is their relationship to one another?
• What is the best phone number to reach you?
• Do you own or rent the home?

LITTLE ROCK – Dating apps can be like a box of chocolates, but the surprise may be far less sweet. Valentine’s Day is another opportunity for con artists to take advantage of Arkansans putting their hearts and money on the line to find love. By using false pictures and information, a perfect “match” could be a set up for a scam.

“Meeting new people and dating has turned digital, with more than 1,500 dating apps available,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “With so many ‘fish in the sea,’ Arkansans hope to catch a good one, but there is a risk. Keep your private information private and use caution and commonsense when looking for love online.”

Attorney General Rutledge released the following tips for social media users:

• Share your hopes and dreams, not your salary and bank information.

• Be honest about your expectations, not your pin number.

• Reveal your hobbies, not your passwords.

• Open your heart to love, not your wallet to a sob story.

• Plan to meet in public, not in a private, secluded or an unknown place.

• Talk about your favorite vacations, not when you’re leaving town.

• Hope for the best in others, but don’t ignore red flags.

LITTLE ROCK – Tax season is like hunting season for con artists. Between the fear of making a mistake on your taxes, and the increased sophistication of scammers, opportunities are endless for bad actors looking to line their pockets during tax season. Each year, many scammers pose as agents with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by sending emails with fake tax bills and transcripts to Arkansans. The malicious emails often include an attachment that is not a document from the IRS, but instead infectious malware. The email may even threaten arrest if payment is not received immediately using a gift card, prepaid debt card or wire transfer.

“No matter how convincing an email from an IRS employee may seem, even using your name and home address, no government entity will ever ask for payment from an untraceable source,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “This is just another shameful attempt at playing with Arkansans’ emotions and stealing their hard-earned money.”

The increase in data breaches has given criminals more access to sensitive information than ever before, helping make their schemes more believable.

Attorney General Rutledge issued the following tips for anyone who receives an email from someone claiming to be from the IRS:

• Do not reply to the email.
• Do not click on any links.
• Delete the original email.