Among the currently popular cons:
Email Phishing Scam: "Update your IRS e-file"
The victim receives emails that appear to be from the IRS
and include a link to a bogus web site (intended to mirror the official IRS web
site). These emails contain the direction “you are to update your IRS e-file
immediately.” The emails mention USA.gov and IRSgov (without a dot between
"IRS" and "gov"), though notably, not IRS.gov (with a dot).
Don’t get scammed. These emails are not from the IRS. The IRS does not initiate contact with
taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information.
Taxpayers who get these messages should not respond to the
email or click on the links. Instead, they should forward the scam emails to
the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. For more
information, visit the IRS's Report
Phishing web page.
IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scam
An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting
taxpayers, including recent immigrants, is surging throughout the country in recent months. Victims receive threatening phone calls from criminals impersonating
IRS agents. The scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other
things.
These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They
use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot
about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like
the IRS is calling.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
Or, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to
trick them into sharing private information.
If the phone isn't answered, the scammers often leave an
“urgent” callback request.
Note that the IRS will never: 1) call to demand immediate payment,
nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a
bill; 2) demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to
question or appeal the amount they say you owe; 3) require you to use a
specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card; 4) ask
for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or 5) threaten to bring in
local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not
paying.
For more details on this ongoing scam, see: IR-2014-105, Scam Phone Calls Continue; IRS Unveils New Video to Warn Taxpayers; Special Edition Tax Tip 2014-18, Five Easy Ways to Spot a Scam Phone Call.
For more details on this ongoing scam, see: IR-2014-105, Scam Phone Calls Continue; IRS Unveils New Video to Warn Taxpayers; Special Edition Tax Tip 2014-18, Five Easy Ways to Spot a Scam Phone Call.
Tax Preparer Phishing Scam
Even tax preparers are targets of con artists.
In one scam a bogus email asks tax professionals to update
their IRS e-services portal information and Electronic Filing Identification
Numbers (EFINs). The links that are provided in the bogus email to access IRS e-services are a phishing scheme designed to capture usernames and passwords.
This email was not generated by the IRS e-services program. Disregard this
email and do not click on the links provided.
For more information on this scam, see IR-2015-31,
IRS Warns Tax Preparers to Watch out for New Phishing Scam; Don’t Click on
Strange Emails or Links Seeking Updated Information.
Identity Theft
The IRS is also warning taxpayers to watch out for identity
theft. Criminals will file fraudulent returns using
someone else’s Social Security number. Taxpayers need to be extremely
careful and do everything they can to avoid becoming a victim.
The IRS
offers the following tips as ways to protect you from becoming a victim of
identity theft:
- Don’t carry your Social Security card or any documents that include your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
- Don’t give a business your SSN or ITIN just because they ask. Give it only when required.
- Protect your financial information.
- Check your credit report every 12 months.
- Review your Social Security Administration earnings statement annually.
- Secure personal information in your home.
- Protect your personal computers by using firewalls and anti-spam/virus software, updating security patches and changing passwords for Internet accounts.
- Don’t give personal information over the phone, through the mail or on the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you are dealing with.
See (IR-2015-7)
Avoiding Tax Scams
Tax and other telephone and e-mail cons seem to getting more and more pervasive. A week doesn’t go by that I don’t
get at least one scam telephone call. Older adults are particular targets. Be especially careful with any phone call or email contact you did not initiate.
If you do receive a worrisome call or contact, get help from someone you know you can trust. Involve your family members. Call the authorities directly yourself. Educate yourself. Do not give out any personal information. Don't be a victim.
Further Reading
Prep
for Safe Tax Filing … and for Scammers (AARP Bulletin, January 23, 2015)