Colossal fraud — Keep your ANCHOR rebate safe from scammers

❗ ANCHOR rebate payments are now being made

❗ Some scammers have redirected benefit payments

❗ What are the most common scams and how do you keep your money safe?

ANCHOR property tax rebates are now being distributed to millions of New Jersey residents.

Scam artists are stepping up efforts to separate you from your rebate money.

Even if you think you would never fall for these scams, cybersecurity experts warn bad actors have gotten highly sophisticated in the methods they use to try and separate you from your money.

The New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) and New Jersey Treasury office continue to report an uptick in several types of scams targeting the ANCHOR rebate money.

Keep reading to see how these scams work and what you can do to protect yourself.

New security measures in place

If you were eligible for an ANCHOR rebate last year, the state automatically applied for you. If none of your banking information has changed (and you are still eligible), the money will be automatically deposited into your account.

However, if you need to verify your application, file a new application, or need to retrieve your ANCHOR identification and/or PIN number, you will have to go through a new level of verification.

The additional level of identity checks are designed to prevent someone from fraudulently claiming your benefits and includes verification through the ID.me process that many government agencies, including Social Security, have adopted.

This comes after the New Jersey’s Division of Taxation revealed nearly one-million fraudulent attempts to claim ANCHOR benefits last year.

In addition to the ID.me security, New Jersey has opened five ANCHOR information centers. Individuals can go to one of those locations in person to verify identity.

The centers are located in Cranford, Fair Lawn, Freehold, Galloway and Trenton.

The scams are coming in the form of email, text messages and phone calls.

“The NJCCIC detected a series of phishing emails attempting to steal New Jersey residents’ ANCHOR program ID and PIN,” the NJCCIC said on its website.
Most rebates delivered electronically have already been deposited into bank accounts.

Here is a look at the most common types of scams, and how to protect yourself.

TOAD scam

TOAD, or Telephone-oriented Attack Delivery, scams are essentially phishing attempts by phone.

You may get a call from someone pretending to be a representative of the New Jersey Division of the Treasury. They will ask for personal information as well as your ID number and PIN number connected to your ANCHOR account.

Once they have this information, they can either file a fraudulent claim, or redirect your rebate into a bank account they control.

These calls can seem legitimate as scammers have even learned how to deliver a fake caller-ID that may say the call is from a government agency.

How to protect yourself from phone scams

Do not provide any personal information to the caller. Ever.

The NJCCIC further advises ANCHOR applicants to contact the NJ Treasury Division of Taxation directly before providing any sensitive personal information in response to received communications claiming to be related to the ANCHOR program.

If you have already provided this information to a caller, contact the NJ Treasury Division of Taxation identity theft reporting portal, and the NJCCIC via the Cyber Incident Reporting Form.

Text scam

The New Jersey Department of the Treasury is also warning of text messages being sent claiming to be from the Treasury regarding ANCHOR benefits.

The scammer will try to get personal information including bank account numbers in order to either redirect a payment or access other funds in your account.

How to protect yourself from text scams

Do not provide personal information

A notice on the ANCHOR benefits website reads:

The New Jersey Division of Taxation will not initiate a text exchange to request personally identifiable information regarding your ANCHOR benefit, or your income tax filing.

We urge you to contact us directly before providing any sensitive personal information in response to received communications claiming to be related to the ANCHOR program.

Phishing scam

Email, or phishing, scams can look legitimate.

They can include official looking state logos and even return email addresses that seem like they are from a state agency.

They will often purport to need verification of personal data in order for you to receive your benefits.

You may be asked to click a link that will take you to an official looking website.

The ultimate goal is to get access to personal information that can be used to steal your identity or access your bank account.

How to protect yourself from Phishing scams

Do not click on the links. Do not give personal information

While it is possible to get an email from a New Jersey government agency, they will never ask you to reveal your personal information.

If you receive one of these ANCHOR emails, contact the ANCHOR rebate hotline (877) 658-2972.

Government imposter scams are on the rise

The Federal Trade Commission reports varying government imposter scams are on the rise.

Consumers reported more than 498,000 imposter scams to the FTC in 2020.

The FTC maintains a list of scams consumers need to be aware of.

This list includes information about government imposter, demands for money, student loans, investment, lottery and telephone scams.

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, you are urged to file a report with the FTC.

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