by KYW's Salil Gutt

Tax season is under way and the scavengers are back preying on lower income people and the misinformed.

There is a spate of television ads pushing instant refunds or refund anticipation loans. Despite law suits from regulators the tax return preparation companies make more profit from the loans business than preparing tax returns all at the expense of the most vulnerable of us.

Here's a better option.

A free tax preparation service offered by the Internal Revenue Service known as Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, VITA for short. There are many VITA centers and at each, IRS trained volunteers, prepare returns and then electronically transmit them to the IRS. A refund is then mailed within three weeks eliminating the need for instant refund and loans scams. This is even more critical this year given the $300 rebate program. VITA programs are free for those earning under $40,000, for the elderly over age 60 and for military personnel and their families.

Go to the website www .irs.gov and type ‘vita’ in the search box.