Imagine receiving a call with a stern voice claiming to be from the IRS and accusing you of deliberate fraud. They claim you owe unpaid taxes and threaten you with immediate arrest.
Thousands of U.S. taxpayers fall for these scam calls every year, and while most people can tell by the voice on the other end, people are scared to hand over their personal information. Or you could end up paying the scammer with a gift card.
Despite the absurdity of these claims, tax fraud is surprisingly effective. Last year, government impersonation scams cost him more than $300 million, and many victims received calls from individuals pretending to be IRS employees.
These scammers cleverly use spoofing techniques to forge caller ID information to make it appear as though the IRS is really calling.
Often, the caller uses a foreign accent to try to scare you and pressure you to buy a gift card on the way to the store.
Your best defense against these scam calls is to simply hang up.
Additionally, be wary of fraudulent emails that appear to come from the IRS or a tax preparation software company like TurboTax. These emails often include subject lines encouraging you to update your application details or request a refund.
Opening these emails or clicking on links may install malware on your computer.
An Internal Revenue Service spokeswoman acknowledged that on rare occasions the agency receives a call from an IRS representative, but that it is “extremely rare.” If the department needs to contact you, it will do so by mail and, in the case of an emergency, by certified mail.
Scammers typically avoid using the U.S. Postal Service for fear of getting caught, because they charge a fee while the calls are effectively free.
The best option for dealing with the IRS is directly through their website.
