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Welcome back to power and politics. Tax season is here and so are the scams. News 12 anchor Rich Barrabi sat down with the special agent in charge of the IRS to talk about the newest tricks criminals are using and the changes to your tax bill that you should be aware when you file. Everybody is looking for the best return they can get. Everybody is looking to save a dime when they can. Uh, it's not always that simple though. What are some of the things people really need to look out for? Yeah, so this time of year, certainly, uh, with tax filing season upon us, um, most importantly, taxpayers need to make sure they are identifying and selecting a trustworthy tax preparer. Um, so some of the red flags to look for. Uh, you always want a trustworthy preparer who will put their name on the tax return as well as their prepared tax identification number. Uh, if they're not willing to put that on the return, they're not willing to sign the return. That's a red flag. Um, additionally, taxpayers should be aware of being asked to sign a blank tax return. Um, you always wanna make sure you review that return after it's been prepared, uh, line by line, make sure you ask questions if there's something that seems out of the ordinary. Um, a lot of times what you'll see is some of the unscrupulous preparers trying to add credits, uh, or deductions that you're not entitled to. For example, if you review the return and you see that there is a side business that perhaps you had lawn maintenance, cutting hair, something of that sort, and you know that's not the case, that's a red flag. You should not sign that return. What if you recognize these things? Should you not sign it, but should you contact the IRS? Who should you talk to if you see this happening? Yes, for sure, and, and just recently the IRS has now launched. Um, the ability on the IRS website to file tax fraud information with us. Uh, so if you go to the IRS website IRS.gov/submit a tip, uh, you have the ability to report tax fraud, um, fraud that you perhaps identify with tax return preparers, um, and a much more streamlined process that will come to us and notify us. What are some of the things that scammers are doing to kind of lure in people who again, we're all could be susceptible to it, trying to save some money? So really what we see this time of year is an uptick in the IRS impersonation scams um and that's where the scammers will try to reach out to you either by phone, text message, email, uh, purporting to be the IRS and that's an attempt to get you to supply your personal information uh once they have that information, then of course they can file tax returns in your name. And other identity steps, uh, fraud steps they can take as well. Are you seeing the use of social media coming into play as well on this? Absolutely. We've definitely in the last number of years seen an uptick with the number of people who are on social media. Certainly things to be aware of and to stay away from is influencers who are on social media. Suggesting that you take fraudulent credits and deductions, um, the best advice is to stay away from that. One thing that you may see is promises by tax return preparers that they can get you a bigger refund than anyone else. Um, the tax laws, the credits, they are what they are. It's no big secret. So if someone's professing that they can get you a larger refund than other preparers, that also is a red flag. Are you seeing through your experience that one group of people are more susceptible to fraud than others when it comes to this time of year? So really, no, scammers do not discriminate. Anyone is fair game. So certainly you know you might see some of the romance scams that target some of the elderly population, those that are vulnerable perhaps who just lost a loved one. We also see scams that perhaps might target, you know, military members, but quite honestly, you know, scammers do not discriminate. We're seeing an uptick in romance fraud that turns into tax fraud again. Once these victims become a victim, their information is now out there. Once the scammers have it, um, they're now transitioning into not only siphoning money out of their financial accounts, but they're using that to file false tax returns in their name. Um, so again, when it comes to kind of the online, uh, scams that we spoke of, um, never ever if you're having an online, um, romance with someone, never send money, uh, to anyone that you haven't met in person. Are you seeing people, uh, fall susceptible to collection schemes too, where you, whoever's preparing says, oh, I'll make sure that the money gets to you as opposed to it coming through the correct channel? Yes, and that brings up a really good point, um, when, when you're selecting your tax return preparer. One of the things that you want to make sure you do if you're entitled to a refund, you want that refund coming to you into your bank account. If it's going to be routed to the return preparer's bank account, that should be a red flag that allows them to potentially, you know, get more money than you may be suspecting or than what you're actually entitled to. So you should steer clear of that and be aware of that red flag. Looking at salt, looking at some of these. Changes in the new legislation, the new law, what do you see moving forward as potential threats? So yes, any time we have new tax legislation, depending on what is in that legislation, it's usually an indicator for us in the years to follow. Um, that there will be folks who take advantage of some of those deductions and credits for perhaps that are there. So for example with the one big beautiful bill, uh, we see the ability, uh, with the deduction on, uh, interest for car loans as well as no, uh, tax on tips and overtime, um, those are areas that we will be focusing in on in the coming years as returns are filed, um, and, and folks should be. Again, as we mentioned, um, checking those tax returns because those are areas where potentially false items could be placed on those tax returns. So in your experience, as soon as there is a new law in place, those scammers are right there looking at how to take advantage. They are, um, I hate to say it from a law enforcement perspective, but oftentimes we are behind the eight ball when it comes to what the scammers are doing. They're often thinking forward, um, and they certainly are looking to take advantage of any of those opportunities when they're presented. is weaving its way into your students' classroom. Up next, we are laying out the new guidance released on what artificial intelligence can and cannot be used for in New York City public schools.

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Welcome back to Power in Politics. New York City Public schools is encouraging teachers to explore the use of AI technology. This week, new guidance was released on what artificial intelligence can and cannot be used for in your children's public school classroom, but not everyone is on board. Some argue there is unknown risk that could put students in danger. Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules in classrooms across the nation's largest public school system. The Department of Education releasing new guidance on how AI can be used in your students' academics. AI is something that is now a part of the fabric of our entire social cultural reality. It is kind of like electricity and electrical wiring. It's not something. That you can sidestep or get around. The DOE is leaning on a traffic light policy. Red signals AI cannot be used. That includes grading, discipline, and counseling. Green light means AI is encouraged to be used from lesson planning, brainstorming, and in non-critical communication settings. And a yellow light requires teacher oversight, allowing students to use AI for creative projects and research. Ian Coggins is the director of fieldwork and clinical practice at Lehman College School of Education. It's changed the way I work. It's changed the way many education professionals I know work, um, for the better. More than 5. 1800 parents, educators, and advocacy groups signed a petition to ban AI in schools for now, saying the long-term effects on how children learn, think, and develop in the area of AI are not fully understood. Writing no school system in the world has accounted for all implications. They're now calling on the mayor to step in. You know, where I see problems though is when people take AI and try to use it in a way where I don't want to have to do this task anymore. Um, let me get AI to do it for me. That's where problems begin to emerge. May responding to the new policy, writing in part quote as we enter a new era of technology with AI becoming increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, we are ensuring that our students are prepared while remaining grounded in our that our top priority at New York City public schools is keeping students safe. Now you at home will have a chance to. In in the next 45 days you can submit your feedback on the policy. You can head to our website news2.com to do so. Your thoughts, concerns, and tweaks will be considered a full comprehensive AI playbook is expected to be released in June, and that's all we have for you on this week of power and politics right here on News 12. Thank you for watching. I'm Heather.

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Councilmember Oswald Feliz, chair of the Public Safety Committee, joins the show this week.

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