Attorney General Letitia James is warning consumers to be alert for scams as the tax deadline approaches.

Among the common scams are claims that people owe past tax debts, and they must pay using a prepaid debit or gift card. Legitimate government officials will not collect money this way.

Another scam is people receiving an alert that their legitimate tax refund was a mistake, and they must return it.

Other scams are tax preparers who claim that they can get your tax return quicker and charge high interest rates and fees, and unsolicited calls, text messages or emails.

James said people can avoid those scams by checking to see if they are eligible for the state’s free Direct File service. This allows qualifying taxpayers to file their federal and state taxes online at no cost.

Any New Yorker who suspects that they are a victim of a scam is encouraged to report it to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) by submitting a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.