Washington, D.C. – Every year, people fall prey to tax
scams. The IRS wants you to be safe
and informed – and not become a victim.
“Some people are victimized by
tax scams, while some get involved after being lured in by false promises of
big money,” said IRS spokesman Dan Boone.
Taxpayers who get involved in
illegal tax scams can lose their money, or face stiff penalties, interest and
even criminal prosecution. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is.
Identity theft. Tax fraud using identity theft tops this
year’s Dirty Dozen list. In many cases, an identity thief uses a taxpayer’s
identity to illegally file a tax return and claim a refund. For the 2014 filing
season, the IRS has expanded
efforts to better protect taxpayers and help victims. Find more information on
the identity protection page on www.IRS .gov.
Pervasive telephone scams. The
IRS has seen an increase in local phone scams across the country. Callers
pretend to be from the IRS in hopes of stealing money or identities from
victims. If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS – and you
know you owe taxes or think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at
1.800.829.1040. If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and
know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe taxes, then
call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
at 1.800.366.4484.
Phishing. Phishing scams typically use unsolicited
emails or fake websites that appear legitimate. Scammers lure in victims and
prompt them to provide their personal and financial information. The fact is
that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request
personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic
communication, such as text messages and social media channels.
False promises of “free money” from inflated
refunds. Scam artists often pose as tax
preparers during tax time, luring victims in by promising large tax refunds.
The bottom line is that you are legally responsible for what’s on your tax
return, even if someone else prepares it. Taxpayers who buy into such schemes can
end up penalized for filing false claims or receiving fraudulent refunds. Take
care when choosing someone to do your taxes. Only use a qualified tax preparer
who will sign your return and enter their IRS Preparer Tax Identification
Number (PTIN). For tips about choosing a preparer, visit
www.irs.gov/chooseataxpro .
Impersonation of charitable organizations. Taxpayers need to be sure they donate to
recognized charities. Following major disasters, it’s common for scam artists
to impersonate charities to get money or personal information from
well-intentioned people. They may even directly contact disaster victims and
claim to be working with the IRS to help the victims file casualty loss claims
and get tax refunds.
Frivolous arguments.
Frivolous schemes encourage taxpayers to make unreasonable and
outlandish claims to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The IRS has a list of
frivolous tax arguments that taxpayers should avoid. While taxpayers have the
right to contest their tax liabilities in court, no one has the right to
disobey the law or ignore their responsibility to pay taxes.
Tax scams can take many forms
beyond the “Dirty Dozen”. The
best defense is to remain vigilant. Get more information on tax scams at
IRS.gov.
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