Tax scams seem to come in waves. At any given time, at least one area of the country is being targeted with a tax scam. Being contacted by a tax scammer can be very unnerving, so it is helpful to be aware and prepared. According to the IRS, senior adults and immigrants are targeted at a higher rate than other groups. Recently tax scams have been related to the stimulus payments and unemployment fraud. Ongoing common tax scams, which can seem legitimate, include:
- Tax-Related Identity Theft
- IRS Impersonation Emails
- Phony Calls, Texts or Social Media Messages Impersonating the IRS
- Requests for Payment
Don’t fall for tax scams:
- If you receive an unexpected email, text, or social media message about your taxes, DON’T open or download any attachments or click on any links.
- The IRS generally communicates with taxpayers through the US Postal Service. If you receive an unsolicited call, text message, social media message, or knock on your door from someone claiming to be from the IRS, DON’T provide any information.
- If you receive a call asking for a donation, DON’T give any money until you have verified the legitimacy of the charity.
- If you receive a call or message claiming that you owe money, DON’T ever make an immediate payment of any kind.
- The IRS will NEVER call to demand immediate payment, threaten to bring in law enforcement, or ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
What to do:
- If you receive an unexpected notice or message from the IRS, contact your tax preparer.
- You can report messages you suspect to be tax scams to the IRS. Go to irs.gov and enter scam into the search bar.
- Before donating to a charity or responding to a message from a bank or financial institution, check with them directly to be sure it is legitimate.