Scams and frauds are abundant, and here is another one of which you should be aware.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a warning and created this video for the American people regarding phone scammers that will call you, claiming to be the IRS. They may say you owe money, or claim that you are due a refund, and trick you into sharing private information.
The scammers are elaborate— caller ID will show up as the IRS, they use fake names and IRS badge numbers. If you don’t answer, they will leave “urgent” call back requests.
The real IRS does NOT use email, text messages, or social media to discuss personal tax issues, and they would never do the following:
Call to demand immediate payment, or call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.
If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1.800.366.4484 or at www.tigta.gov.
If you’ve been targeted by this scam, also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their “FTC Complaint Assistant” at FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.
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