Tax scams are on the rise, especially during tax filing season. The IRS reports a 60% increase over last year.

Be vigilant.

Know what the IRS will and will not do:

1. The IRS will never dictate what method a taxpayer must use for payment and will NEVER demand cash.

2. The IRS cannot arrest a taxpayer for non-payment nor can they revoke business or drivers licenses.

3. The IRS cannot change a taxpayers citizenship or immigration status.

4. The IRS mostly contacts taxpayers via United States Postal Service. Very rarely does the IRS contact a taxpayer via email or phone.

Protect yourself.

Here are a few simple rules to follow that will help:

1. Never click on a link in an email.

2. Utilize your computer's firewall.

3. Use malware and virus protection software.

4. Use strong passwords - at least 10 digits and include a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Do not use personal information such as a beloved pet's name or old address as these can be discovered by scammers.

5. Use two-factor authentication when possible.

6. Back up your computer files to an external hard drive or a trusted cloud based storage.

7. Never give a caller or emailer who claims to be with the IRS any banking, credit card or other financial information as well as never giving them personal information such as your social security number or address.

If you should find that you have a virus, see a computer specialist to clean your computer before attempting to access your external hard drive or cloud based storage as accessing these files from a hacked computer can infect those files.