EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — With tax season having started just a few days ago, the IRS has released some information on how to avoid tax season scams.
The IRS says that there are some obvious ways to notice a scam call. First, the IRS will never call and pressure a person for a specific type of payment like a prepaid debit or gift card. The IRS says they will first typically send a letter asking for payment.
Another sign of a scam is if the caller threatens that they’ll bring law enforcement into the mix. The IRS will also never order that a person pay their taxes without being given the chance to question or appeal the amount.
The IRS reminds all that they will never call and ask for personal information like social security numbers, bank account numbers and other personal information. They also say that they will only call after having sent several bills and have not received a response back.
If you think you are being targeted by a scammer do not give personal information and hang up immediately. You can also report the scam using the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting tool.
The IRS warns that these scammers are becoming more sophisticated using fake names and IRS identification badge numbers even using phone numbers with an altered caller ID. Stay vigilant and always beware who you’re giving information out to.
