Residents should be on high alert for tax scams, callers pretending to be the IRS
U.S. Representative Richard Hanna is reminding people to beware of phone calls and emails from individuals claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service in an effort to defraud them.
Hanna has received numerous reports of local residents receiving unwanted calls from individuals claiming to represent the IRS. He said taxpayers need to remain vigilant against tax scams all year round; not just during tax season. Recently, the most common forms of tax scams are phone calls and emails from thieves pretending to be from the IRS.
“The best way to protect yourself from becoming a victim is to hang up the phone,” Hanna said. “The IRS willnever call you, but criminals will.”
Rep. Hanna’s office has received an increase in reports about these scams and the callers are very aggressive; below are some tips the IRS released to identify these scams and what to do if you believe you are the target of a scam.
THE REAL IRS WILL NOT:
- Initiate contact with you by phone, email, text or social media to ask for your personal or financial information.
- Call you and demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call about taxes you owe without first mailing you a bill.
- Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For example, telling you to pay with a prepaid debit card.
“What people need to remember is: never give out any personal information over the phone,” Hanna said. “Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls, especially callers who are aggressive and relentless. These criminals often prey on older people, so pass the word along to elderly neighbors, friends and family. Let’s do all we can to prevent this scam from spreading further and hurting more hardworking Americans.”
IF YOU DON’T OWE TAXES:
- Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Use TIGTA’s “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page to report the incident.
- You should also report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” onwww.FTC.gov and add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your report.
IF YOU THINK YOU MAY OWE TAXES:
- Ask for a call back number and an employee badge number. Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and IRS employees will be able to help you.
If you receive an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS it may be a phishing scam. They often use fake refunds, phony tax bills, or threats of an audit. Some emails link to sham websites that appear real. These criminals seek to lure victims into providing personal and financial information.
This information can be used to steal a victim’s money and their identity.
If you receive one of these “phishing” emails don’t reply to the message or give out your personal or financial information. Don’t open any attachments or click on any links. Forward the email to phishing@irs.gov to alert them of the scam.
Read more about tax scams on the genuine IRS website at www.irs.gov.