The IRS has issued continued warnings of various scam attempts on American taxpayers. These take the form of emails, phone calls and even text messages called “Phishing”. These scams try to get sensitive material like Social Security numbers and other financial information. They will often use threats that the taxpayer is being audited or even sued by the IRS and can look and sound very official.
It is very important to know that the IRS does not use these methods to reach you. From IRS.gov:
“The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. This includes requests for PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.”
The IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
- Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
- Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Source: www.irs.gov
Do not reply to any suspicious emails or phone calls or open any attachments that may accompany an email. If you have concerns over any communications you feel may be fraudulent, you can contact the IRS directly at (800) 829-1040 and report phishing attempts to phishing@irs.gov. We are always available to assist you with any of these concerns as well.