The tax filing and payment deadline is next week on July 15th, and the US Attorney’s Office and IRS warn residents to be on the lookout for scam artists. According to a joint statement from United States Attorney from the Southern District of Iowa Marc Krickbaum and IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Adam Steiner, scammers are hard at work looking for ways to steal personal information and money, and they urge residents to stay alert. The IRS will not contact you by phone, email, or social media to ask for personal information. This is a scam, and should be reported to the authorities immediately. For people facing hardships, including those affected by COVID-19 who cannot pay their taxes in full, the IRS has several options available. For more information on payment options, click below.