West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey reminds consumers to take their time filling out tax information in order to avoid any missteps as the April 18 filing deadline quickly approaches.

“Many people don’t file taxes until the end of the season,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “It’s always

better to take your time than rush and make a mistake when dealing with such sensitive information.

Mistakes made this week can turn into potential headaches down the road.

The Attorney General advises consumers to follow some simple steps to avoid any last-minute mistakes:

• File electronically. It’s time efficient, safer and ensures a faster tax refund.
• Double check information.
• If mailing a tax return, double check the federal and state mailing addresses at IRS.gov and tax.wv.gov.
• Make sure to validate the legitimacy of any tax preparer or tax filing service.
• Shred any discarded documents that contain personal information. Doing so makes it harder for thieves to steal information.
• Be aware of scammers who claim to be IRS representatives as they request personal information. Scammers often make these requests with threat of arrest or lawsuit, but consumers should not comply.

Questions can be directed to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or 304-267-0239 in Martinsburg. To file a report online, go towww.wvago.gov.