More on IRS Scams…

In IR-2016-40 the IRS warned about a new phone tax scam. The tax scammers will call victims and explain that they are just verifying their tax return information.

The caller frequently will claim that he or she is reviewing your tax return. You will need to confirm your Social Security Number, bank account number and routing numbers. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen stated, “These schemes continue to adapt and evolve in an attempt to catch people off guard just as they are preparing their tax returns. Do not be fooled. The IRS will not be calling you out of the blue asking you to verify your personal tax information or aggressively threatening you to make an immediate payment.”

Koskinen observed that the tax scams are growing in every part of the country. He continued, “It is a growing list of people who have encountered these. I have even gotten these calls myself.”

The Treasury and Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) monitors phone scam reports. It notes that since October 2013 there have been 896,000 reported phone scam calls. Over 5,000 victims have paid $26.5 million to scammers.

In 2016 the IRS also estimates that there is a 400% increase in “phishing” contacts by email.

The IRS cautions that there are several actions it will not take. It will not call you to demand an immediate payment, ask you to verify personal and financial information, demand that you pay tax immediately, require you to use a method such as a prepaid debit card to pay your taxes, ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone or threaten you with immediate arrest by your local police.

There are several steps that will help protect you from a phone scammer. First, do not give personal information over the phone. Second, if you suspect a phone scam, call TIGTA at 800-366-4484 and report it. Third, you can go to www.FTC.gov and use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on their website to report the scam