IRS Scams Continue to Pose Serious Threats

The Internal Revenue Service has some advice for taxpayers this April Fool’s Day that may prevent them from being the victim of a tax scam: Don’t be fooled by scammers. Stay safe and be informed. Here are some of the most recent IRS-related scams to be on the lookout for:

Telephone Scams: Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain an ongoing threat. The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent years as scam artists threaten taxpayers with police arrest, deportation, license revocation and more. These con artists often demand payment of back taxes on a prepaid debit card or by immediate wire transfer. Be alert to con artists impersonating IRS agents and demanding payment.

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DON’T BE A VICTIM TO A TAX SCAM

Each year, people fall prey to tax scams. Stay safe and be informed – don’t become a victim.

If you get involved in illegal tax scams, you can lose money or face stiff penalties, interest, and even criminal prosecution. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be on the lookout for these scams:

Telephone Scams

Threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain an ongoing threat. The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent years as scam artists threaten taxpayers with police arrest, deportation, license revocation, and more. These con artists often demand payment of back taxes on a prepaid debit card or by immediate wire transfer. Be alert to con artists impersonating IRS agents and demanding payment.

The iTunes Scam

We interrupt our Failure is Feedback series to bring you the latest scam.

I would like to take a moment to thank the perpetrators who send these things to me, thinking that we will fall for it. 

FedEx Phishing

The email below is not from Federal Express. Note their mailing address is not FedEx.com

I verified this with Federal Express directly, who told me that they are getting large volumes of customers calling and asking. If you were to click on the “Get Shipment Label” bar, you will have let the hackers into your computer.

IRS Updates Phone Scam Warnings

The IRS is again warning the public about phone scams that continue to claim victims all across the country. In these scams, thieves make unsolicited phone calls to their intended victims. Callers fraudulently claim to be from the IRS and demand immediate payment of taxes by a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. The callers are often hostile and abusive.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has received 90,000 complaints about these scams. TIGTA estimates that thieves have stolen an estimated $5 million from about 1,100 victims. To avoid becoming a victim of these scams, you should know:

E-ZPass Phishing Scam

The MTA has issued a warning that an email going around to E-ZPass holders is actually a phishing scam. The email, which looks as though it was sent by the E-ZPass service center, asks customers to download an invoice with a list of unpaid tolls. (Hint: Don’t do that.)

Statement from the New York State Thruway Authority:

The New York State Thruway Authority is warning E-ZPass customers about a phishing scam.

People have received bogus emails made to appear official stating that people have unpaid tolls.

A Different IRS Scam

See the copy of the email below:

1. The IRS never makes first contact via email.
2. The return address would be .GOV, not .COM.

—–Original Message—–

From: IRS TAX OFFICE [mailto:noreply@irsexemption.com]

Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2014 4:38 PM

Subject: TAX EXEMPTION

IRS Impersonators

Hopefully, most of you are aware that I write a blog, and that one of my favorite topics is how scams operate.

Recently, I have written about scams that involve the Internal Revenue Service.

Well, recently they tried it on my office. When I got back after a breakfast meeting, there was a message that a Mr. DM had called from the IRS and left his phone number. He was a “Case Consulting Officer” and needed to discuss discrepancies in my own tax return. The individual who called demanded that I return the call immediately.

IRS Warns of Tax-Time Scams

It’s true: tax scams proliferate during the income tax filing season. This year’s season opened on January 31. The IRS provides the following scam warnings so you can protect yourself and avoid becoming a victim of these crimes:

• Be vigilant of any unexpected communication purportedly from the IRS at the start of tax season.  

IRS Warns of Phone Scam

The IRS is warning the public about a phone scam that targets people across the nation, including recent immigrants. Callers claiming to be from the IRS tell intended victims they owe taxes and must pay using a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. The scammers threaten those who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver’s license.

The callers who commit this fraud often:

• Know the last four digits of the victim’s Social Security number
• Use common names and fake IRS badge numbers
• Make caller ID appear as if the IRS is calling
• Send bogus IRS emails to support their scam
• Call a second time claiming to be the police or DMV, and caller ID again supports their claim