Tax Tip Tuesday: New Tax Scam
Scammers have a new tactic to try and steal your money.
The IRS issued an alert to taxpayers and tax professionals to watch out for fake emails claiming to contain an IRS tax bill related to the Affordable Care Act.
The IRS has received numerous reports around the country of scammers sending a fraudulent version of CP2000 notices for tax year 2015. Generally, the scam involves an email that includes the fake CP2000 as an attachment.
The CP2000 is a notice commonly mailed to taxpayers through the mail. It is never sent as part of an email to taxpayers.
An actual CP2000 is generated by the IRS Automated Underreporter Program when income reported from third-party sources such as an employer does not match the income reported on the tax return. It provides extensive instructions to taxpayers about what to do if they agree or disagree that additional tax is owed. It also requests that a check be made out to “United States Treasury” if the taxpayer agrees additional tax is owed. Or, if taxpayers are unable to pay, it provides instructions for payment options such as installment payments.
Here are signs of the scam:
These notices are being sent electronically, even though the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or through social media platforms.
The CP2000 notices appear to be issued from an Austin, Texas address.
The underreported issue is related to the Affordable Care Act requesting information regarding 2014 coverage.
The payment voucher lists the letter number as 105C.
The fraudulent CP2000 notice includes a payment request that taxpayers mail a check made out to “I.R.S.” to the “Austin Processing Center” at a Post Office Box address. This is in addition to a “payment” link within the email itself.
If you have any questions about notifications you receive from the IRS or wonder if these items are legitimate, please give us a call at 515-225-3141 or email cbrand@ryungivens.com.
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.
