The IRS says the phone scams remain a major threat to taxpayers
IRS phone scams are on the rise during tax season. With tax season under way, the IRS and police departments across the state are again warning people to hang up on anyone claiming they're from the agency and demanding immediate payment.
In recent days, police have been reporting an increase in the number of residents who have found themselves on the end of a scam call.
"Taxpayers across the nation face a deluge of these aggressive phone scams," IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. "Don't be fooled by callers pretending to be from the IRS in an attempt to steal your money. We continue to say if you are surprised to be hearing from us, then you're not hearing from us."
Last month, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said it has received reports of about 900,000 scammer contacts since October 2013, with more than 5,000 victims collectively paying over $26.5 million.
The callers fraudulently claim to be IRS officials and threaten criminal charges unless immediate payment is made.
Here are five things the IRS says scammers often do but it would not do:
- Call to demand immediate payment or 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
The agency recommends anyone who is contacted by phone scammers to fill out an "IRS impersonation scam" form on tigta.gov or call Treasury officials at 800-366-4484.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.