The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. In addition, IRS does not threaten taxpayers with lawsuits, imprisonment or other enforcement action.
An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS. Fake debt collectors will attempt to pressure you into paying taxes owed through a non-traceable source, such as a money order.
The IRS saw an approximate 400 percent surge in phishing and malware incidents in the 2016 tax season.
Taxpayers are receiving emails that appear to be from TAP about a tax refund. These emails are a phishing scam, where unsolicited emails which seem to come from legitimate organizations — but are really from scammers — try to trick unsuspecting victims into providing personal and financial information. Do not respond or click the links in them
Be assured that the tax professional that you use is actually a tax professional. Some unscrupulous people will open shop during tax season for the sole purpose of stealing identities. Be leery of the promised big refunds. Review your returns closely to make sure the deductions and income claimed are true and reported accurately.
Using your name, someone else files your tax return, using your social security number, claiming extra dependants or deduction, with your personal information but a different address. There is a refund, but it does not come to you. You file your tax return and the IRS notifies you it is a duplicate return.
If you get an email from the IRS, forward it to: phishing@irs.gov. If by letter, contact: Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.
If working with an accountant, you should query them on what measures they take to protect your information.
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