Julie Jason: IRS issues guidelines to deter scammers

Expecting a call from the IRS?

It seems that this time of year, after the normal tax filing season comes to an end, taxpayers may expect the IRS to contact them. That is unlikely, of course, unless there is an audit or collection underway. In those cases, the IRS may indeed write, call or even pay you a visit.

“There are special circumstances in which the IRS will call or come to a home or business, such as when a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill, to secure a delinquent tax return or a delinquent employment tax payment, or to tour a business as part of an audit or during criminal investigations,” according to an IRS note released last week.

You would normally be aware, as a taxpayer, that the IRS may be calling or visiting if you are in this type of situation.

But what if there are no tax issues? What if the “IRS agent” is a scammer?

That could be the case, as the IRS warned in the release IR-2018-129: “IRS continues warning on impersonation scams; Reminds people to remain alert to other scams, schemes this summer warning that you need to be aware of.”

Quoting from the release, the IRS wants you to know that it will never:

“Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not use these methods for tax payments. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes. All tax payments should only be made payable to the U.S. Treasury and checks should never be made payable to third parties.

“Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.

“Demand that taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.

“Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.”

If you are contacted, this is the IRS’ advice, again quoting from the release:

“Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.

“Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report the call. Use their IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting webpage. (treasury.gov/ tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml)

“Report the caller ID and/ or callback number to the IRS by sending it to phishing@irs.gov (Subject: IRS Phone Scam).

“Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov. Add ‘IRS Telephone Scam’ in the notes.” (See ftccomplaintassistant.gov/?utm_source=takeaction#crnt&panel1-1) If you happen to get a text message or a contact through social media from the “IRS” to discuss your personal tax situation, that is not the IRS, according to the release.

“Scams take many shapes and forms, such as phone calls, letters and emails,” according to the IRS. “Many IRS impersonators use threats to intimidate and bully people into paying a fabricated tax bill. They may even threaten to arrest or deport their would-be victim if the victim doesn’t comply.”

If you do get contacted by someone from the IRS, before you respond, read this fact sheet: “Avoid scams: Know the facts on how the IRS contacts taxpayers” (irs.gov/newsroom/avoidscams-know-the-facts-onhow-the-irs-contacts-taxpayers). This gives you a full description of how the IRS normally contacts taxpayers.

This also will be helpful: “How to know it’s really the IRS calling or knocking at your door” (irs.gov/newsroom/how-to-know-itsreally-the-irs-calling-orknocking-on-your-door-0).

Also, watch this video at youtube.com/ watch?v=M5MdrNCGuZc.