IRS Scams

IRS scams involve criminals impersonating IRS agents, other government personnel, or debt collectors over the phone, online, or through the mail in order to deceive you into transferring money for taxes, fines, or fees that you do not owe.

Scammers are extremely active during tax season, and people lose millions of dollars each year as a result of IRS fraud. Be not one of them. Here's a list of recent IRS scams, as well as instructions on how to recognise one and (maybe) get some retaliation.

Methodologies Employed for IRS Scams

A few scenarios of IRS frauds are as follows:

1.We recalculated your tax refund, and you must complete out this form.

The IRS logo appears in these scam emails, which include subject lines like "Tax Refund Payment" or "Recalculation of your tax refund payment." It requests that consumers click a link and supply their Social Security numbers, birthdays, addresses, driver's license numbers, and other personal information in order to submit a bogus form in order to reportedly receive their refund. Scammers may also use ".edu" email addresses to target college students.

2. The FDIC is calling, and we need your bank information.

The Federal Depository Insurance Company covers bank deposits, ensuring that customers do not lose their entire investment if a bank collapses. It does not, however, send unsolicited mail requesting money, sensitive personal information, bank account information, credit and debit card details, Social Security numbers, or passwords. Fraudsters posing as FDIC employees are looking for information that they can use to conduct fraud or sell identities.

3. We're calling to inform you that your identity has been stolen; you'll need to purchase some gift cards to rectify it.

In this scam, a criminal calls the victim and pretends to be an IRS official. The perpetrator says that the victim's identity was stolen and exploited to open bogus bank accounts. The caller then instructs the taxpayer to purchase certain gift cards; later, the crook contacts the taxpayer and requests the gift card access codes.

4. If you do not return our calls, you will be arrested.

Criminals can make a caller ID phone number appear to be from anything, including the IRS, local police, or another scary source. But, the IRS does not leave pre-recorded voicemails, particularly those that purport to be urgent or threatening. Furthermore, the IRS has no authority to remove your driver's licence, business licence, or immigration status.

6. Use this Form W-8BEN to provide us with personal information.

Although Form W-8BEN, also known as a "Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding," is a legal IRS document, criminals have modified it to request personal information such as mother's maiden name, passport numbers, and PIN numbers.

Note: Natural disaster victims can be great targets for scammers looking for sensitive information such as a Social Security number or other financial records. Scammers may call, email, or even contact you through social media, posing as false charity or claiming to be IRS officials who may assist you in filing a casualty loss claim. The government advises people to reject any unsolicited contact and instead call the IRS' disaster assistance line (866-562-5227) for official information on disaster-related tax aid..

How to report IRS scams?

• Inform the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration of the situation (TIGTA). IRS frauds can be reported online or by calling TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484.
• Email messages or phone numbers claiming to be from the IRS should be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov. Do not open any attachments or links in those emails.
• Inform the Federal Trade Commission through FTC.gov's Complaint Helper. Include the phrase "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.
• Use the form on the Social Security Administration's website to report Social Security Administration phone imposter scams.
• Contact your state Attorney General's office if the IRS frauds appear to be mimicking a state tax authority rather than the IRS.