Tax Scams Continued
IRS tax scams is a topic we've brought up before, but it is becoming a very common problem that we are seeing all the time.
Tax scams take many different forms. Recently, the most common scams are phone calls and emails from thieves who pretend to be from the IRS. They use the IRS name, logo, or a fake website to try to steal your money. They may try to steal your identity too.
Be wary if you get a phone call from someone who claims to be from the IRS and demands that you pay immediately.
In most cases, an IRS phishing scam is an unsolicited, bogus email that claims to come from the IRS. They often use fake refunds, phony tax bills, or threats of an audit. Some emails link to sham websites that look real. The scammers’ goal is to lure victims to give up their personal and financial information. If they get what they’re after, they use it to steal a victim’s money and their identity.
Here are several tips from the IRS to help you avoid being a victim of these tax scams:
The Real IRS Will Not:
- Initiate contact with you by phone, email, text, or social media to ask for your personal or financial information.
- Call you and demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call about taxes you owe without first mailing you a bill.
- Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For example, telling you to pay with a prepaid debit card.
What to Do If You Get a Phising Email:
- 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.- Stay alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure.
Give Us a Call
If you have any questions about being contacted by the IRS or receive anything that just doesn't seem right, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 515-225-3141 or email us.
Want to know how this affects your situation? Please send us an email by clicking here, or give us a call at (515) 225-3141.
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Disclaimer: The items included in the Tax Tip Tuesday Video Blog are informational only and are not meant as tax advice. Consult with your tax advisor to determine how any item applies to your situation. IRS Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, we inform you that any U.S. federal tax advise contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein
