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Don’t Fall for Scam Calls and Emails Posing as IRS

Posted by Admin Posted on Feb 24 2017

Don’t Fall for Scam Calls and Emails Posing as IRS

 

Scams continue to use the IRS as a lure. These tax scams take many different forms. The most common scams are phone calls and emails from thieves who pretend to be from the IRS. Scammers use the IRS name, logo or a fake website to try and steal money from taxpayers. Identity theft can also happen with these scams.

Taxpayers need to be wary of phone calls or automated messages from someone who claims to be from the IRS. Often these criminals will say the taxpayer owes money. They also demand payment right away. Other times scammers will lie to a taxpayer and say they are due a refund. The thieves ask for bank account information over the phone. The IRS warns taxpayers not to fall for these scams.

Below are several tips that will help filers avoid becoming a scam victim.

IRS employees will NOT:

Call demanding immediate payment. The IRS will not call a taxpayer if they owe tax without first sending a bill in the mail.

Demand payment without allowing the taxpayer to question or appeal the amount owed.

Require the taxpayer pay their taxes a certain way. For example, demand taxpayers use a prepaid debit card.

Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Threaten to contact local police or similar agencies to arrest the taxpayer for non-payment of taxes.

Threaten legal action such as a lawsuit.

If a taxpayer doesn’t owe or think they owe any tax, they should:

Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Use TIGTA’s “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page to report the incident.

Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments of your report.

In most cases, an IRS phishing scam is an unsolicited, bogus email that claims to come from the IRS. Criminals often use fake refunds, phony tax bills or threats of an audit. Some emails link to sham websites that look real. The scammers’ goal is to lure victims to give up their personal and financial information. If they get what they’re after, they use it to steal a victim’s money and their identity.

For those taxpayers who get a ‘phishing’ email, the IRS offers this advice:

Don’t reply to the message.

Don’t give out your personal or financial information.

Forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. Then delete it.

Do not open any attachments or click on any links. They may have malicious code that will infect your computer.

More information on how to report phishing or phone scams is available on IRS.gov.

All taxpayers should keep a copy of their tax return. Beginning in 2017, taxpayers using a software product for the first time may need their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) amount from their prior-year tax return to verify their identity. Taxpayers can learn more about how to verify their identity and electronically sign tax returns at Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return.  

If you have any questions regarding accounting, domestic taxation, international taxation, IRS representation, U.S. tax implications of Real Estate transactions or financial statements, please give us a call at 305-274-5811.

Source: IRS

The information provided on the LBCPA Blog is a community service for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors who specialize in the topics covered. Please refer to your advisors for specific advice on these subjects. The information is not intended to be used, and it cannot be used, for the purposes of avoiding U.S. Federal and/or State tax laws or the tax laws of any foreign jurisdiction.

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