Tag Archives: Scam

Avoiding IRS Phone Scams

Internal Revenue Service

Tax season may be over, but IRS scams are still in full force. The Internal Revenue Service has announced a “new twist” on IRS phone scams. Criminals call unsuspecting targets and claim to work for the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Callers use a spoofed phone number from a TAS office located in Houston or Brooklyn. They may use robocalls, requesting a callback. When the person calls the fake office, they will be asked to provide their individual taxpayer identification number or Social Security number.

Who Is the TAS?

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization that operated within the IRS. They provide help to people facing an issue with the IRS such as issues filing a return, tax debt or problems working with the system. People seeking information from the TAS are directed to call the organization directly; the TAS does not initiate calls to taxpayers offering services.

The Scam

“Representatives” inform their victims that they owe taxes and must pay immediately or lose their driver’s license or face jail time. The caller, who is typically hostile or even abusive, demands payment through a pre-paid debit card or a wire transfer. The scammers take it one step further by placing a second call, supposedly from a law enforcement agency or Department of Motor Vehicles. If the victim uses an app for unknown number look ups, he will find that the number has been spoofed to match the organization’s official number.

There is a variation on the scam. The con artist may try to trick the person into believing he has a large refund due, but must provide personal information to receive it.

Other Tactics

Scammers have developed more tactics to fool the public. They include supplying fake names and IRS badge numbers, sending bogus emails to back up their claims, mimicking the sounds of a call center, or providing the last four digits of the person’s Social Security number.

Signs It’s a Scam

The IRS publishes a list of things that they would never do with the hopes of alerting the public. For example, the IRS never calls to inform a taxpayer that he owes money, nor do they make threats or involve local law enforcement. If you receive a call, do not give out personal information, nor should you engage the caller in any way. The longer you stay on the phone, the longer the scammer thinks you may fall for the scam.

The scammers may also attempt phishing to gain information via email. They will request personal information and payment, complete with threats.

Report the Fraud

If you receive an email, do not respond and report it immediately to [email protected] (Subject: IRS Phone Scam).

To report a phone call, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484. You can also file a complaint on the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting webpage. Additionally, you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission’s Complaint Assistant with “IRS Telephone Scam” as the subject.