Call From the I.R.S.? Hang Up. It’s a Fraud.
There is a common scam that happens every year around tax season, scammers pose as representatives of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the phone or in an email. The goal of this scam is to frighten you out of your hard earned money. Since 2013 nearly 3,000 victims had been cheated out of more than $14 million.
This scam has been evolving over the years as it has proven effective, with some individuals losing upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. The success of the scam has emboldened and increased the frequency of the scammers.
A spate of fraudulent state income tax returns filed has unnerved consumers this filing season. But con artists also continue to use more traditional means to try to separate taxpayers from their money, like harassing them on the telephone.
The Internal Revenue Service has posted repeated warnings about tax phone frauds, in which criminals call consumers pretending to be agents from the I.R.S. The impostors claim the taxpayer owes back taxes, then threaten arrest or legal action, unless the individual makes a payment quickly. Sometimes victims are urged to wire money, but more commonly they are directed to obtain a prepaid money card at a retailer and provide the number to the caller.
The callers strive to appear authentic; they may use robocalling technology that shows “I.R.S.” on your caller identification screen. They may know part or all of your Social Security number and they may provide a fake I.R.S. “badge” number. In some cases, follow-up calls may come, supposedly from local police or prosecutors.
But the telephone call itself, experts say, is the first tipoff that the call is bogus. The I.R.S. does not initiate contact through phone or email, but rather sends written correspondence through the United States mail. The I.R.S. does not call people.
Here are some questions about tax fraud schemes:
What should I do if a caller says they are with the I.R.S?
Don’t provide any personal information and don’t engage with the caller (other than, perhaps, to ask their name, the F.T.C. advises, so you can include it in a complaint). Then, hang up. You can report the incident to the Treasury inspector general for tax administration by filling out an online form.
When you file the complaint, you will be asked to choose a five-digit PIN. If you are contacted about the incident, you should ask for the PIN, so you can be sure you are speaking to a legitimate agent. You can also file a complaint with the F.T.C. on its website.
What should I do if I get an email that indicates it is from the I.R.S.?
The agency says it generally does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, so such messages are most likely “phishing” attempts to try to obtain sensitive information, like user names and passwords. (This month, for instance, the agency warned of “bogus” emails asking tax professionals to update information like their electronic filing identification numbers.) Don’t respond to such email or click on any attachments, the agency advises. Rather, forward it tophishing@irs.gov, then delete it.
What if I think I may of been scammed?
If you are concerned, you should contact your Fuoco Group advisor immediately.
