Dirty Dozen 2022: Phone Scams

          Phone scams are nothing new and we have all experienced a variation of this at some point. The idea is that there is a prerecorded message, or even an actual person calling, who pretends to be someone they are not. Criminals can use apps to fake their Caller ID number to make it seem like they are calling from the actual institution.

          In this case they impersonate someone from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The messages are urgent and threatening in tone. They claim that law enforcement agencies will soon act unless the taxpayer follows their instructions. This is not how the IRS, or its collection agencies operate.

          They will never demand immediate payment. Especially with methods like wire transfer, gift cards, or prepaid debit cards. They will never threaten to use law enforcement to arrest you for lack of tax payment. They will never ask for credit or debit cards over the phone. A taxpayer will always be able to question or appeal the amount of tax owed. The IRS starts communication through the mail. If you are unsure, make sure to independently verify that the source is legitimate. One way is to check with your Qualified Tax Professional.

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