Question: Regarding the $1 billion in unclaimed tax refunds, how much of that is in Hawaii?
Answer: About $5.3 million, to be split among an estimated 5,500 people who have yet to file a federal income tax return for the 2021 tax year, according to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. They have until April 15 to do so, or will forfeit the money to the U.S. Treasury. In Hawaii the median unclaimed refund for that year is $865, higher than the national median of $781. These estimates do not include the Recovery Rebate Credit or other credits that may be applicable, according to the IRS.
Nationwide, the total in unclaimed federal income tax refunds for the 2021 tax year is more than $1 billion, owed to about 1.1 million people, the IRS said.
“Under the law, taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim their tax refunds. If they don’t file within three years, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury,” the agency said in a news release. Anyone who has not yet filed a federal return for the 2021 tax year can find instructions and other information at 808ne.ws/ 3FwSLgk.
Q: We received a phone message on our business phone with a phone number and code to call to claim millions from Publisher’s Clearing House. It did not say the name of who won. When you call the number they specify in their message, you are asked to leave them a message with your name, phone number and email address and you will receive a call back. My gut tells me this is a scam, so I hung up without leaving the requested information. Have you heard of this, and is it legit or a scam?
A: This is a scam. Publishers Clearing House says it never notifies major winners by phone. It’s unfortunate that you called back, but at least you didn’t provide additional information. Still, you should expect to receive more scam calls like this because by calling back, you confirmed for the scammers that they reached a live number (many scammers use automated random dialing) and that you were inclined to believe the pitch (even though you didn’t leave a message, your phone number presumably was captured). In the future, don’t respond to similar voicemails. If you answer a call and suspect a scam, hang up.
Publishers Clearing House addresses phone scams on its website, which says: “Publishers Clearing House does NOT make or authorize outgoing calls to consumers to sell merchandise or magazines, or to solicit sweepstakes entries. Our major winners are notified by mail or in person (at our option) and we never phone ahead to disclose that someone has won a major prize. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House and are asked to send money, pay a fee or pre-pay taxes to enter, collect or claim a sweepstakes prize — STOP — you have not heard from the ‘real’ Publishers Clearing House. The call you received was most likely from a fraudulent sweepstakes scam operation.”
Q: Are front license plates optional? I notice cars, primarily Teslas, that are not displaying a front plate.
A: No. “Two license plates are issued at a time for vehicles except motorcycles, and by state law must be placed on the front and back of the vehicle. Motorcycles are issued a single license plate that is placed on the rear of the cycle,” according to Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services.
The lack of front license plates on cars and trucks, especially Teslas, is a continuous source of Auwes (complaints) from readers.
To answer a related question from another reader: The traffic cameras that enforce speeding and red-light running at 10 Oahu intersections zoom in on the offending vehicle’s back license plate for identification purposes, not the front, according to the state Department of Transportation.
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Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
