Security Awareness for Taxpayers
As tax season will be underway the tax scams are picking up.
Here are a few things you can do in order to protect yourself from these scams according to the IRS.
Note that the IRS will never:
1) Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency 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 debit 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.
If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
1) Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
2) Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.
3) Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
More information:
Security Summit Identity Theft Tips Overview
Tax Scams
IRS websites:
https://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts
https://www.irs.gov/uac/IRS-Urges-Public-to-Stay-Alert-for-Scam-Phone-Calls