Before you drop off your taxes this year, take a second look at your preparer.

The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for unscrupulous tax preparers.

About 60 percent of taxpayers use tax professionals to prepare their returns.

WSB Consumer Expert Clark Howard says Georgians should be on extra high alert. “I today can go out and start preparing tax returns,” he explains.

In Georgia, there is no real training or licenses to become a tax preparer and there have been numerous cases of prepares taking advantage of people.

Howard says most people can do their own returns for free by using software available on the Internal Revenue Service's website.

He adds, "If you need to use a tax preparer, make sure you use an enrolled agent or a CPA who does tax." Click HERE for a site where you can run a check on your tax professional.

If you need to report a problem with a tax preparer you can do so by clicking HERE.