MCALLEN – It’s the official opening day of the 2020 tax season and experts are already warning about crooks deceiving vulnerable taxpayers.

One tax season rolls around, phone calls are a daily nuisance for some Rio Grande Valley residents. The calls are never from the same number and the area code used can even be from the Valley.

The IRS says more than 640,000 fraudulent returns attempted to obtain $3.1 billion in refunds in 2018.

Tax preparer Sarah Hinojosa says the IRS will first contact you by paper mail.

“So, you shouldn't be getting phone calls or email asking for your social security number or your account information. And that's just sensitive information you wouldn't want to give someone over the phone that you're not sure who you're talking to,” explained Hinojosa.

Hinojosa added people need to also be careful who they are filing their taxes with.

Watch the video above for the full report.