Question: Is the tax department aware that a scammer is sending out letters trying to trick people into paying a “loan transfer” fee? I didn’t fall for it, but others might. I looked on the DOTAX website but didn’t see anything about it.
Answer: Yes. Hawaii’s Department of Taxation issued a news release Wednesday warning taxpayers about scammers that impersonate the department as they try to trick recipients into paying wire transfer fees for loan transfers that don’t actually exist.
“A Hawai‘i taxpayer reported receiving a letter asking the recipient to clear a wire transfer fee to receive a loan in a checking account. People in other states have also received similar fake messages relating to advance fee loans. These are not official letters, calls or emails from the State of Hawai‘i Department of Taxation, which does not authorize loan clearances or approve bank wire transfers,” the news release said.
Such correspondence about state-to-state loan transfers is fraudulent. “Do not click on any link, open an attachment, call the phone number, or provide money in any form (wire transfer, money order, etc.) in response to such a letter,” the news release said.
Anyone with questions or who wants to confirm the legitimacy of any tax notice should contact the department using contact information listed on its website, tax.hawaii.gov/contact.
The news release was to be posted Thursday on the DOTAX website, a department spokesperson said.
Q: I recently donated to a victim of the Lahaina wildfire. Can you let your readers know about an annoying fee that GoFundMe charges the donor that most people are not aware of: a mandatory 15% tip! This is yet another example of tipping that’s gotten out of control.
A: GoFundMe insists that tipping the company is not mandatory and that donors can adjust the default tip amount down to 0% of their donation if they wish. Here are instructions from the for-profit crowdfunding platform’s website:
“How to choose your tip amount:
“Enter the amount you’d like to donate to the fundraiser under ‘Enter your donation.’
“Click on the green dot and slide left or right to adjust your tip amount. Or, you can click ‘Enter custom tip’ to type the amount you’d like to donate.
“Your total due today will be the donation plus the amount you choose to tip.”
GoFundMe says it will refund unintentional tips. Fill out the refund request form at 808ne.ws/gfmsup.
Q: I was told that the hot-food purchase allowance for SNAP has been extended. Is that true?
A: Yes. The state Department of Human Services received approval to extend the waiver from the usual rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. “This means SNAP participants may purchase hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with their benefits at authorized SNAP retailers statewide through Oct. 14, 2023,” according to the DHS website.
Q: Any idea on when Lahaina’s harbor will reopen?
A: “It could be at least a year before the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor has been reconstructed and (is) available for vessel use,” according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The DLNR’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation is scheduled to host a Zoom session Tuesday from 9 to 11 a.m. to provide status updates and answer questions “related to resumption of commercial vessel operations in West Maui,” according to a news release. For more information, including links to the Zoom session, go to 808ne.ws/3LHzhpx.
Mahalo
My mom’s dog of 15 years had to be put down. My mother is 82 years old, and the dog was her pal. The dog was suffering, and we decided it was best to put her to sleep. I can never forget the compassion of Dr. Lindsay Gehring. She helped us during the entire procedure. She is a great doctor of veterinary medicine, but most of all she is a wonderful person. Thank you, Dr. Gehring. — T.N., Kihei
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
