It’s Tax Time… Don’t Become The Victim of A Phone Scam
If you get an aggressive phone call from “the IRS” demanding money or your personal information, you likely are the target of a phone scam. So how do I know if it is really the IRS? According to the IRS, THEY WILL NEVER:
- Call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill
- Demand you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to appeal
- Require you use a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying
If you suspect a phone scam from someone claiming to be the IRS, here’s what you should do:
- Do not give out your social security number or personal information
- Call the IRS yourself at 1.800.829.1040. This will ensure you are dealing with a legitimate IRS representative
- Report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General at 1.800.366.4484 or www.tigta
.gov
As the saying goes, the only sure things in life are death and taxes… not phone scams. Click here to learn more about phone scams from the IRS.