Courtesy US Federal Trade Commission

A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

May 3, 2021

TAX SEASON PHONE SCAMS-ID THEFT

Courtesy US Federal Trade Commission

The 2021 tax filing deadline for US individuals has been extended until May 17, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) strongly recommends that taxpayers file as early as possible to avoid taxpayer identity theft. Taxpayer ID theft occurs when a fraudulent return is filed using your name without your knowledge. Any refund to which you are entitled is sent to the scammer impersonating you. You may not find out until you try to file your return.

The IRS says signs of taxpayer ID theft include:

*You receive a letter from the IRS inquiring about a suspicious tax return that you did not file.

*You’re unable to e-file your tax return because of a duplicate Social Security number.

*A tax transcript that you did not request shows up in your mail.

*You receive an IRS notice that an online account has been created in your name, or that your existing online account has been accessed or disabled without your taking any action.

*To help prevent taxpayer ID theft, you should always be wary of phone calls and text messages that request your personal information. Fraudsters often impersonate the IRS or another government agency personnel attempting to verify the additional information they may need to file a tax return in your name.

The Federal Trade Commission and the IRS warn that you should not provide personal information to any unknown caller. Instead hang up and independently verify the caller’s number before calling back. Keep in mind the IRS does not make outgoing calls from its toll-free numbers. If you see a toll-free number identified as the IRS on your caller ID, it’s likely a spoofed call.

More helpful information from the IRS:

The IRS generally contacts people first by mail – not by phone – about unpaid taxes, and never calls taxpayers with threats of lawsuits or arrests.

At your request the IRS may attempt to reach you by telephone. But it will not insist on payment using an iTunes card, gift card, prepaid debit card, money order, or wire transfer.

The IRS will never request personal or financial information – including a taxpayer’s Identity Protection PIN – by e-mail, text, or any social media.

What should you do if you suspect you are a victim of an IRS tax scam?

The IRS advises taxpayers who suspect they may be victims of identity theft to continue to pay their taxes on time and file for a return, even if they must file a paper return.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and demanding payment, you can take the following action:

If you owe Federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, just hang up and call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.

If you do not owe taxes, fill out the “IRS Impersonation Scam” form on the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration web site, or call 1-800-366-4484.

Report the call to the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov/complaint.  You can also file a complaint about phone scams with the Federal Communications Commission,  www.fcc.gov/complaint.

When reporting it, add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments in your complaint.

ATTRIBTION: US Federal Trade Commission