Tax Season is fraud season. It’s prime time for fraudsters and scammers looking to steal your personal and financial data.
IRS Impostor Phone Scam
These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They target the most vulnerable, like the elderly and immigrants with harassing phone calls. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card, or wire transfer, even an iTunes card. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually spoof the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.
Tip: The IRS never calls, nor would a legitimate official threaten a taxpayer.
Take advantage of Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week to learn how to avoid scams and protect your identity.
