Beware of IRS Tax Scams

 

What to Look for - US IRS Tax Scams and Con Men

Tax scams with calls, letters, emails, etc. allegedly from the IRS are out of control.  We even get the phone calls and emails here in our offices at Kauffman Nelson LLC.  Many sound authentic but all have the sole intent of cheating you out of your money.  Often the message includes immediate threats of prosecution, etc.  These scam attempts occur not only in the US but wherever Americans live abroad.

Do not give anyone on the phone who claims to be the IRS any financial information, your social security number or any other information that could be used to steal your identity or financial assets.


The IRS will only contact you by mail. If you have any suspicions of about contacts involving your taxes do not respond but contact the IRS directly at the phone numbers listed on the internet or go to their offices.

READ MORE ABOUT THE MANY TAX SCAMS GOING ON HERE

If you need help contact us at taxmeless@gmail.com. We are attorneys and CPAs and know the real IRS when we see it.

WHEN THE IRS CALLS, DON'T BE FOOLED... IT MOST LIKELY IS SOMEONE ELSE

The Internal Revenue Service has some advice for taxpayers this April Fool’s Day that  may prevent them from being the victim of a tax scam: Don’t be fooled by scammers. Stay safe and be informed. Here are some of the most recent IRS-related scams to be on the lookout for:

Telephone Scams. Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain an ongoing threat. The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent years as scam artists threaten taxpayers with police arrest, deportation, license revocation and more. These con artists often demand payment of back taxes on a prepaid debit card or by immediate wire transfer. Be alert to con artists impersonating IRS agents and demanding payment.

Note that the IRS will never:

• Call to demand immediate payment over the phone or call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
• 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.
• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

Scammers Change Tactics. The IRS is receiving new reports of scammers calling under the guise of verifying tax return information over the phone. The latest variation on this scam uses the current tax filing season as a hook. Scam artists call saying they are from the IRS and have received your tax return, and they just need to verify a few details to process it. The scam tries to get you to give up personal information such as a Social Security number or personal financial information, such as bank numbers or credit cards.

Tax Refund Scam Artists Posing as TAP. In this new email scam targeting taxpayers, people are receiving emails that appear to come from the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, a volunteer board that advises the IRS on issues affecting taxpayers. They try to trick you into providing personal and financial information. Do not respond or click the links in these emails. If you receive an email that appears to be from TAP regarding your personal tax information, forward it to phishing@irs.gov.

Email, Phishing and Malware Schemes. The IRS has seen an approximate 400 percent surge inphishing and malware incidents so far in the 2016 tax season.

The emails are designed to trick taxpayers into thinking these are official communications from the IRS or others in the tax industry, including tax software companies. The phishing schemes can ask taxpayers about a wide range of topics. Emails can seek information related to refunds, filing status, confirming personal information, ordering transcripts and verifying PIN information.

Variations of these scams can be seen via text messages, and the communications are being reported in every section of the country.

When people click on these email links, they are taken to sites designed to imitate an official-looking website, such as IRS.gov. The sites ask for Social Security numbers and other personal information, which could be used to help file false tax returns. The sites also may carry malware, which can infect your computer and allow criminals to access your files or track your keystrokes to gain information.

If you get a ‘phishing’ email, the IRS offers this advice:

• Don’t reply to the message.
• Don’t give out your personal or financial information.
• Forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. Then delete it.
• Don’t open any attachments or click on any links. They may have malicious code that will infect your computer.

More information on how to report phishing or phone scams is available on IRS.gov.

Additional IRS Resources:

• IRS Releases the “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams for 2016

IRS YouTube Video:

• Tax Scams - English | Spanish | ASL

Podcasts:

• Tax Scams -  English | Spanish

No 1 Item on IRS List of Tax Scams is Taxpayers Hiding Assets Abroad

The IRS has released their list of the 12 most common tax cheating and scam methods. Hiding income and assets offshore is the first item on the list. The IRS aggressively pursues taxpayers involved in abusive offshore transactions as well as the promoters, professionals and others who facilitate or enable these schemes. Taxpayers have tried to avoid or evade U.S. income tax by hiding income in offshore banks, brokerage accounts or through the use of nominee entities. Taxpayers also evade taxes by using offshore debit cards, credit cards, wire transfers, foreign trusts, employee-leasing schemes, private annuities or insurance plans.


The 2011 IRS Voluntary Offshore Disclosure Program ends 8/31/11.  As both an Attorney and CPA we can advise you on the program, and represent you should you enter it.