A common scam we see during tax season is phony calls from people stating to be the IRS. They claim they are the IRS and that you owe money. As they get more aggressive, they will try to scare you by threatening that you must pay within the next few hours to avoid going to jail, or that the police are on the way. These calls can create panic but it is important to remember that it is a scam.
Here are a few ways to tell if you are talking to a scammer:
- The IRS will not call demanding payment without first sending a notice in the mail. They will never call demanding immediate payment.
- The IRS will never threaten to contact the police.
- The IRS will never ask for your credit or debit card information via telephone.
- The IRS will always allow you to question or appeal their notice.
- The IRS allows you to pay your taxes through a variety of ways. Scammers will often demand that you pay a specific way.
If you believe you have been contacted by someone using these scams, there are ways you can report the crime. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration asks that you report it on their website. You can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
Please call us at 616.393.0398 with any questions.
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