The great Benjamin Franklin had some quote about taxes, I can't remember exactly how it went but it was basically: "there are two certainties in life: taxes and me getting syphilis when I went to France."

It's funny to look at old Ben and think that he was a womanizer. He looks like your bald grandmother. How the heck did he manage to get all these STD's?

Not to disparage one of the greatest Americans to ever live, but, man...

Anyway, if you're a vigilant taxpayer you should be aware of something funky going on in the mail system.

Tax fraud letters being sent out in Utah

According to ABC4.com (LINK TO FULL ARTICLE)

"The [Utah Tax Commission] is warning taxpayers about the letter, which fraudulently claims that the recipient owes unpaid state taxes. The letter closely resembles an official government notice, officials said.

The letter reportedly also threatens legal action, liens, or asset seizure if the balance is not paid immediately. Scammers often pressure their victims this way, deceiving them into making payments without verifying the claims first, officials said."

Yikes.

I haven't gotten one of these yet but I'm sure I'd fall for it.

I get a million texts a day from the Philippines saying I violated a toll in Wisconsin and I just panic and pay them all out of fear.

These guys know what they're doing.

ABC4 gives these instructions for what to do if you receive one of these letters: (LINK TO FULL ARTICLE)

• Verify before paying – If you receive a suspicious tax notice, contact the Utah State Tax Commission directly at 801-297-2200 to confirm its authenticity.
• Do not respond to the letter – Avoid calling any phone numbers or visiting any websites listed in the fraudulent notice.
• Report the scam – If you receive a fraudulent tax notice, report it to the Utah State Tax Commission here.

Be safe out there!