IRS Scams You Should Watch Out for This Tax Season
If you are a taxpayer, you will encounter scams such as phishing emails, fraudulent tax preparers, and phone calls from scammers pretending to be the IRS. Since it is tax season, these scams will be on the rise, so if you do not wish to fall victim to such, you should be careful and wary. These criminals are aware of the fact that the tax filing season can be complicated and they will want a tax preparer to file the taxes for them. They are also aware of the fact that they might fall for a phishing scam. To stay safe from scammers this tax season, you should be aware of the different types of scams that taxpayers face, so that you can avoid such issues. So, this year when you are filing for your taxes, look out for these IRS Scams:
IRS Impersonating Emails and Phone Calls: The scammers send emails and call the taxpayers pretending to be the IRS. So, you should look out for emails and sketchy websites, as they will end up stealing your personal information. These scammers usually target a large number of people and they send out these emails to unsuspecting victims so that they can steal their personal information. These scammers also call the taxpayers impersonating to be the IRS and threatening them to pay their overdue taxes. You should note that the IRS will never call or send an email asking for your personal information. And should these scammers try to contact you, make sure to report the call and the email.
Social Media Scam: These scammers can also use social media to steal the identity of the taxpayers. The scammers will usually pose as a close person of the victim and send them messages with malicious links so that the victim will open them and click on the links. Another common scam is when the scammer hacks the victim’s account and reaches out to family members, friends, and co-workers through text messages. Social media is another common platform for scammers to try to steal personal information and the identity of taxpayers.
Electronic Tax Return Reminder Scam: Scammers usually send unsolicited emails pretending to be the IRS titled Electronic tax return reminder. If you receive this email, you should not click on any of the links as they usually contain links to websites. These websites may seem legit, and once the taxpayers land on the page, they are usually asked to access a file that contains their documents. When the taxpayers try to access this file, they will actually end up downloading malicious files, through which the scammers can gain access to the personal information of the victims.
Tax Return Preparers: Another common thing that you should look out for is ghost tax preparers, these tax preparers will usually ask for cash while they refuse to provide a receipt for their services. They might also pull up fake deductions or even list incorrect incomes. If your tax preparer does not sign your return or does not include a tax preparer identification number, you could be dealing with a ghost tax preparer, who is just out to make some quick money. To avoid such issues, make sure that you hire a reputable tax preparer, check their credentials, and ensure that you know someone who has worked with this particular tax preparer before.
When you are filing for your taxes this tax season, make sure that you are aware of the different scams. The different types of scams mentioned above are not the only ones and there are many more, so you should be wary. The most important tip is to note that the IRS will not send any email or call the taxpayers demanding to pay their overdue or asking for their personal information.
