ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s tax season, which means scammers may have already targeted you as they’re looking to take advantage of your refund.

The scammers are sending everything from messages to phones calls, claiming you’re eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check.

David Swope, the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau in New Mexico, says is not true. Swope said, from January to November last year, there were $33 million lost to government impersonations.

Right now, they’re using tax season to trick you and there’s no real reason why scammers pick you.

“It happens to everyone. It’s not something you’re doing, it’s not that your information is on the black web, it’s not that they’re using some sort of list that maybe you came up in a search that the IRS is actually in the process specifically of looking at you. No, it’s just the fact that you have an email account, you have a phone number which we all have. And unfortunately all of us, in one way or another, pay taxes,” Swope said.

Swope said there are ways to protect yourself, like filing early, using an identification protection PIN and know what types of payments the IRS accepts.

“IRS does not accept payments via wire transfer. They do not accept gift cards. They do not accept prepaid debt cards. So, if somebody is asking you for that, to pay your bill or whatever, right away, you’ve got a red flag there,” he said.

Swope said it’s a good reminder that the IRS typically doesn’t reach out by phone, text message or through social media. They will reach out by mail first.