Hackers are recycling old tricks and are ready to prey on you. One of their clever schemes that the IRS is warning US citizens about is that criminals are using telephone numbers that mimic IRS Tax Payer Assistance Centers to trick taxpayers into paying non-existent tax bills. Though the April tax season has ended, it is wise to remain alert to scams year-round. The IRS is not the only agency that is being targeted as criminals have also been spoofing local municipal offices, Department of Motor Vehicles, and federal agencies, along with a variety of others.
- Demand that you use a specific payment method
- Will not ask for your debit or credit card numbers over the phone
- Demand that you pay taxes without the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe
- Threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law enforcement to have you arrested for not paying
Taxpayers who receive the IRS phone scam or any IRS impersonation scam should report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at its IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting site and to the IRS by emailing phishing@irs.gov with the subject line “IRS Phone Scam.”
