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IRS Scam Phone Calls

Jan 09, 2015

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The IRS has a new YouTube video with a warning to taxpayers not to be fooled by calls with people posing to be tax agency representatives.  There are practices that these scammers do but the IRS will not do.  The video can be found at www.youtube.com

From the IRS website:

The IRS reminds people that they can easily know when one of these IRS calls is fake.  Here are five things that the scammers do but the IRS will not do.  Any one of these five things can tell you that you are receiving a call from a scammer and not the IRS.  The IRS will never:

  1. Call to demand immediate payment, nor will they 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 credit card.
  4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

What should you do if you receive a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS and asking for money?  Here are a few places to start.

*  If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 800-829-1040.  The IRS will help you with any payment questions you have.

*  If you know you don't owe taxes or have no reason to think you might, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.

Also, the IRS doesn't use unsolicited email, text messages or any type of social media to discuss your taxes with you.