Sars tax season: Five scams to look out for

As tax season approaches, scammers are gearing up to target unsuspecting taxpayers.

Tax season is the period during which taxpayers are required to submit their annual income tax return to the South African Revenue Service (Sars).

During this season Sars announces the start of tax season, and taxpayers can start filing their income tax returns.

Taxpayers who have been auto-assessed by Sars do not need to take any action if their auto-assessed gross income, exemptions, rebates, and deductions are accurate.

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Furthermore, taxpayers who do need to submit a tax return can do so via eFiling or the Sars MobiApp.

And those who are unable to file online must schedule an appointment to visit a Sars branch.

From 1 July, Sars will start to process tax returns and issue assessments to taxpayers.

“This year from 1 July 2024 we will again issue auto-assessments to taxpayers whose tax affairs are less complicated. If you are in agreement with your auto-assessment, then there is no need to ‘accept’ the assessment. If a refund is due to you, it will automatically be paid into your bank account,” information from the Sars website refers.

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Taxpayers who owe money to Sars must pay by the stipulated date to avoid penalties. Those who are due a refund should wait for 72 hours after receiving the notification to receive their returns.

The tax season starting next week Monday will over end in January 2025 for different taxpayers.

2024 filing season dates according to Sars:

• Individual taxpayers (non-provisional): 15 July to 21 October
• Auto-assessment notices: 1 – 14 July
• Provisional taxpayers: 15 July to 20 January 2025
• Trusts: 16 September to 20 January 2025

Taxpayers should exercise vigilance during tax season to avoid getting caught in a web of fraud, scams and errors.

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Here are the top five scams to watch out for:

Phishing scams

Scammers may try to trick you into revealing sensitive information like your ID number, password, or credit card details via email or SMS. It is imperative that one remains cautious of messages that ask for verification of sensitive information. It’s also important to avoid clicking on suspicious links.

Fake Refunds

Scammers may promise a larger refund in exchange for personal information or an upfront fee. However, don’t fall for this, because Sars will never contact you to ask for payment or personal details in exchange for a refund.

Fraudulent tax practitioners

Scammers come in all forms, some act smart and may try to pose as a tax practitioner. Registered Sars employees will never ask or promise to submit your tax return for a fee. To verify whether a person is indeed who they claim they are, check the Sars website for a list of registered practitioners.

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“In order for a tax practitioner to charge you for their services, they must be registered. You can check here whether your Tax Practitioner is registered with SARS and a Recognised Controlling Body (RCB).”

SMS scams

Scammers may send SMSes claiming you owe Sars money or that your refund is pending. Don’t respond or click on links. Instead, contact Sars directly to verify.

Email scams

Be wary of emails claiming to be from Sars, asking you to download attachments or click on links.

These may contain malware or phishing scams.

Also, note that Sars “does not send *.htm or *.html attachments”. Additionally, Sars will not request you to share your banking or credit card details.

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Ways to protect yourself this tax season:

• Verify the authenticity of Sars communications
• Keep personal information private
• Use secure channels to submit your tax return
• Be cautious of unsolicited offers or messages
• Report suspicious activity to SARS

Scammers have many tricks up their sleeves, and to keep the taxpayer safe, Sars has dedicated a continuously updated page on their site for people to identify scams as well as report any suspicious activities.