(GREENSBORO) -- Tax scammers are using whatever means possible to get money from unsuspecting taxpayers in North Carolina and across the country. Mark Hanson with the Internal Revenue Service office in Greensboro said there are ways to find a reputable preparer.

"Paid tax return preparers are required to have what's known as a preparer tax identification number, a P-TIN for short. If somebody prepares your tax return and you pay them, they are required to sign your return with that P-TIN number," said Hanson.

Recently, State Attorney General Roy Cooper announced that that several Charlotte based tax preparation businesses had been banned.  Cooper said they had been offering tax services after filing inaccurate returns and failing to disclose fees for refund anticipation.