Q. It is tax filing time. Is BBB experiencing a high number of tax-related scams compared to 2020?
A. Tax scams are among the most stubborn cons out there. They reappear often, each time with a slightly different spin. The main theme is scammers posing as the Internal Revenue Service, www.irs.gov and trying to trick you into either paying up or sharing personal information.
IRS scams
These scams most often start with a phone call and take two basic forms. In the first version, the IRS “agent” says you owe back taxes and pressures you into paying by prepaid debit card or wire transfer. If you don’t comply, the scammer threatens you with arrest and fines. In the other version, scammers claim they are issuing tax refunds and ask you for personal information so they can send your refund. This information can later be used for identity theft. Scammers also use this approach to target college students by claiming a “federal student tax” has not been paid.
These imposters often go to great lengths to appear real. The scammer may give a fake badge number and name. Your Caller ID may look like the call is coming from Washington, D.C. Con artists sometimes follow up scam calls with an email, which uses the IRS logo, colors, and official-sounding language. In many instances, these scams start with a serious and official sounding “robocall” recording.