Knowing how to spot an IRS phone scam

The only thing you need to remember in order to avoid falling for an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) phone scam, is that the agency will never ask you to make a payment using prepaid debit cards or wire transfers, according to a spokesperson from the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office.

“The IRS is never going to call you and tell you to go out and buy a prepaid card and call them back,” Alfonso Zavala said. “If you get one of these calls just hang up.”

Also, taxpayers have the opportunity to ask questions and work with the IRS on making a payment plan. The IRS will also never contact someone by email.

Zavala said tax season is in full swing, which means scammers are hard a work once again making calls trying to take advantage of people filing their taxes.

While the sheriff’s office has received calls about the scam this tax season, Zavala said most of the calls are coming from county residents who are reporting it, not falling victim to it.

“I think people are more aware of it now,” Zavala said. “There still have been some victims, but fewer than in years past.”

Explaining how the scams work, Zavala said that they usually take on two forms.

In one version, scammers will call pretending to be an agent of the (IRS) and say you owe money. The call can be very convincing and often show up on caller I.D. as originating from Washington DC.

The scammer will often provide a fake IRS badge number and even share some knowledge that seems like they really know you, addressing you by your name, and so on.

Zavala explained you will know it is a scam the moment the person calling says you owe back taxes and starts pressuring you into paying by prepaid debit card or wire transfer. If you don’t comply, the scammer threatens you with arrest and fines.

Another version of the tax scam is an attempt to steal your identity. In this version a scammer will claim they are issuing tax refunds and ask you for personal information, such as a social security number, so they can send your refund.

The scammer will then use your information to file a tax return in their name and collects the refund. The victim may not know they were scammed until they receive a written notice from the IRS, sometimes, after trying to file their taxes.

Tips to Avoid Falling Victim to Tax Scams

The IRS will never: • Call to demand immediate payment over the phone, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.

• Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

• Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer.

• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone

It is also suggested filing your taxes early as possible, which reduces a scammers chance to use your information and file a fake return.

To report a scam, go to BBB Scam Tracker (BBB. org/scamtracker). To protect yourself from all types of scams, visit the BBB Scam Tips page (BBB.org/ scamtips).