It’s exactly three weeks until the filing deadline and due date for Federal Income Tax Returns. As the rush for last-minute filers builds, so does the numbers of fake IRS calls. Of course, fake calls happen all year long. In fact, anyone with a phone can receive a fake IRS call.
The voice says something like . . . “This is an automated call from the IRS for (insert formal first and last name here). We are putting a lien on your property, bank accounts and credit…” and it goes on.
Can you imagine the shock of hearing the first part of the message especially if all previous taxes have been paid and all personal accounts are in good standing?
Yikes! It’s enough to take one’s breath away.
But go ahead and breathe . . . the IRS does NOT do business this way. Nor does the IRS use unsolicited email, texts or social media in a dispute.
In fact, the IRS offers these 5 easy tips to spot suspicious calls for consumers.
While scammers might do these things, the IRS will not.
- Call to demand immediate payment or about owed taxes without first sending a bill through snail mail.
- Demand payment without an opportunity to question or appeal of the owed amount.
- Require you to use a specific method of payment.
- Request credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in law enforcement to arrest you for nonpayment.
What you should do if you receive a call like this:
- First, if you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040 and resolve the situation with an IRS professional.
- Second, if you don’t owe taxes, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484
- Third, you may file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant.
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