As we are in tax season, we thought a good time to remind you to be aware of potential IRS phone and phishing scams. One of our employees recently received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, claiming that he owed the IRS money and demanding payment. Obviously, this was a scam attempt.
Note that the IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes.
- Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
- Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information.
This link provides good information for what to be watchful. https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-scams-consumer-alerts