Tax Fraud Phone Scams on the Rise! – Although the 2014 tax season is officially over, it appears that tax scams are actually on the rise. In fact, just days after April 15th tax filing deadline, the IRS issued a warning alerting taxpayers of a phone scam that is the largest one of its kind on record. At the time the announcement was made, taxpayers had already lost over $1 million as the result of scammers impersonating members of the Internal Revenue Service Department over the phone. This recent tax phone scam is not pocketed in in a certain area, but rather has been reported in almost every state in the country!
It appears that these recent scammers have been so successful because they are able to use some very sophisticated techniques. They are often able to give the last four digits of the victim’s Social Security number and, in some cases, are able to make the IRS phone number appear on the taxpayer’s caller ID. In addition to demands for tax dollars, some of those targeted by this recent tax scam have been threatened with arrest, jail time, suspension of a driver’s license and, in the case of immigrants, with deportation. A number of victims who hung up on the original caller have received follow-up calls that look like they are coming from the local police department.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has reported receiving over 20,000 complaints about this recent phone tax scam. In response, they have warned taxpayers that the IRS always makes initial contact about a tax matter through some form of official written communication, not over the phone. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen issued a recent statement saying, “If you’ve never heard from us before and you get a phone call, you’re probably not hearing form us.” Those who get a call from someone claiming to be an IRS agent, are asked to report the incident to TIGTA at 800-366-4484.
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