Five things scammers do
Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.The IRS will never:› Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.› 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.Source: The IRS
If a scammer calls:
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.— Source: The IRS
Owe taxes?
If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.Source: The IRS
Larry DeVore knew right away that scammers were behind two “robocalls” he got last week warning him he faced a lawsuit and arrest by the Internal Revenue Service.
“There is a lawsuit filed against you by the Internal Revenue Service,” said one of the calls that DeVore saved on his answering machine. “There is a non-bailable arrest warrant issued under your name.”