HARRISBURG (TNS) — Tax filing season is a ripe time for scammers to try to trick people to turn over sensitive and personal information that can cost them time, money and a lot of headaches, said Acting Revenue Secretary Pat Browne.

In particular, he said one recurring scam the Department of Revenue has heard about is a phony “Final Demand for Payment” letter that arrives in the mail, threatening wage garnishment and seizure of property or assets unless the person calls a phone number to satisfy the lien.

“We want Pennsylvanians to remember four simple words — don’t take the bait. Take a moment to think over the situation and make sure that you’re taking the proper steps to ensure that any notice you receive in the mail is legitimate,” Browne said. “This is a common time of the year for scam artists to impersonate a government agency to victimize hard-working Pennsylvanians.”

The mail from the phony entity may look official from a state taxing agency or a collection agency but if it doesn’t have a return address on it, it is not. The Department of Revenue always includes a return address on letters it sends out. Other tips include:

The department encourages people to not provide personal information unless they are absolutely sure the person they are sharing it with is a legitimate representative. Examine closely any suspicious scam letter to look for vague language, blatant factual errors or other inconsistencies. If a notice demands immediate action, verify its legitimacy before responding.

Contact information for the revenue department can be verified by visiting the department’s website and clicking on Assistance under the “I’m looking for” drop down menu.

Already fallen for this scam? Contact the department’s Bureau of Fraud Detection & Analysis by emailing Ra-rvpadorfraud@pa.gov or calling (717) 772-9297 from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.