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TIGTA Urges Taxpayers to Beware IRS Impersonators


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Federal Tax Day – Current, T.1, TIGTA Urges Taxpayers to Beware of IRS
Impersonators

(TIGTA Press Release), (Dec. 29, 2017)

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has urged taxpayers to beware of IRS impersonators and avoid becoming victims of fraudulent scams and solicitations during the upcoming filing season. Federal charges have been filed against over 90 individuals ever since TIGTA started tracking this scam. Scammers fraudulently claim to be IRS officials and make unsolicited calls and “robocalls” to taxpayers demanding that the taxpayers make a payment. Further, these scammers threaten unsuspecting taxpayers with arrest, imprisonment, deportation, grand jury indictment, loss of a business or driver’s license, or other punishments, if the taxpayers fail to pay the scammers. In most cases, the taxpayers do not owe any taxes.

Generally, the Service first contacts people by mail, not by phone, about unpaid taxes, and the IRS will not ask for payment using a prepaid debit card, a money order or wire transfer. Taxpayers can take certain protective measures if they believe that they may have received a call from an IRS impersonator: (1) hang up the call and reach out to the Service at 800-829-1040 for assistance with tax payment questions if taxes are owed; (2) fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form on TIGTA’s website, www.tigta.gov, or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484 if taxes are not owed; and (3) file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov.

TIGTA Press Release: J.Russell George Urges Taxpayers to Remain on “High Alert” to Prevent More Losses to IRS Impersonators