IRS Impersonation Scam Calls and What to Know

Scammers claiming to be IRS agents are calling individuals at an increasing rate. Many times these scammers will have much of your personal information before they call, such as your name, address, employer, family members, and even part of your social security number. They will use just enough information to make it appear official. They will even alter the number that comes up on caller ID. Individuals have received scam calls with the caller ID listed as Washington D.C., the location of the IRS headquarters.

Most phone scammers will give you a fake name and badge number. They will let you know there is a problem and either demand some form of payment or ask for personal information. They will leave voice mails that demand you to call them back or risk possible arrest. You may also get a scam call telling you that the IRS made an error and owes you money. All you have to do is give them your social security number and bank information so they can deposit the refund directly into your account.

While these scammers can sometimes be very convincing, you can easily spot a scammer by keeping these points in mind:

• The IRS will never call about owing money without first mailing you a bill.

• The IRS will never demand payment over the phone.

• The IRS will never ask for your bank account or credit card information over the phone.

• The IRS will never ask you to pay with a prepaid credit card.

• The IRS will never threaten to send the police to arrest you.

If you do receive a call from an IRS scammer, take these actions: hang up; don’t talk to them or give them any personal information; and report the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml.  Even if you do owe money to the IRS, hang up on the caller and call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to discuss your payment options.

Posted by Chris Hatcher, CPA/CFF, CFE, CVA, CGMA