The IRS is currently warning taxpayers regarding a phone scam occurring nationwide. In this scam, a taxpayer is informed of the amount of money he or she owes to the government and is then given a couple of choices to pay off the debt immediately to avoid jail time or loss of a driver’s license to name a couple of the threats being used. The caller is typically demanding and not pleasant on the phone.
As the IRS would not make a request for immediate payment over the phone, that is the first sign to individuals the caller is not who he or she claims to be. The best way to deal with this scam would be to hang up and contact the IRS directly, report the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, or contact the Federal Trade Commission.
Click on this link to see an article from the IRS which can provide more details on this scam.
Image courtesy Billy Brown