IRS Phishing Scams

by Grace Bohall, CPA

Dear IRS:
Please take me off your list.
Thank you.

What is the one thing that instills fear into most adults? The IRS. We all hope we are compliant, we hope we don’t get audited. We hope we don’t have to pay more taxes. We just hope they stay away.
There are scammers out there that are using our fear of the IRS to steal your identity and even steal your money. How do you know if it is a scammer or the actual IRS?

• The IRS will not contact you by e-mail, text message, or through social media.
• The IRS initial point of contact is always through the mail.
• The IRS will not call demanding payment.
• They will not require paying by certain payment method, such as wire transfer, prepaid debit card, or gift cards.
• They will never ask for credit or debit card information over the phone.
• They will not threaten to call local law enforcement.

If you suspect that you are receiving a call from someone falsely claiming to be from the IRS, record the employee’s name, badge number, and call back number, and call 1-800-366-4484 to determine if they are an IRS employee with a legitimate need to call you.
If you know that the phone call is a scam or you end up getting scammed report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 or www.tigta.gov.