Scam Central – Is It Really The IRS Calling?
The latest scam is phone callers impersonating the IRS and demanding payment. And it’s pretty tricky to know who is and isn’t legitimate. The IRS is a collection agency and like most other collection agencies, they can be demanding and in some cases, down right mean. But these scams take it to a whole new level.
The scammers call, demanding immediate payment and often threatening police action if payment isn’t made. They’ll likely know a lot about you (through identity theft) and will try to put real pressure on you to act now to get things paid. The IRS reports that these scams are now occurring in every part of the country.
So how do you tell if it’s a scammer or the IRS? Here’s how you tell. If any of the five items listed below happen, you’ll know it’s a fraud because the IRS does not do any of the following:
- Call you about taxes you owe without first mailing you an official notice.
- 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.
And in general, if the IRS calls at all you should be suspicious because that doesn’t often happen. Keep your eyes open, don’t pay anything over the phone and end the call. If you’re concerned that you may actually owe taxes, contact the IRS directly or give us a call to schedule your free tax consultation. Call (480) 888-71111 or submit a web request here.
By: Evan A. Nielsen