Police Warn Of IRS Tax Scam

From the City of Woodstock: With “Tax Season” upon us once again, the Woodstock Police Department would like to remind its residents that criminals are actively looking for their next victims in more creative and sophisticated ways. Taken directly from the I.R.S. web site (www.IRS.gov), below is information on recent scams these predators are using to victimize the unsuspecting:

Tax Preparer Phishing Scam:

A bogus email asks tax professionals to update their IRS e-services portal information and Electronic
Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs). The links that are provided in the bogus email to access IRS eservices
appear to be a phishing scheme designed to capture your username and password. This email was
not generated by the IRS e-services program. Disregard this email and do not click on the links provided.
IRS warns tax preparers to watch out for new phishing scams. Don’t click on strange emails or links
seeking updated Information.

IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scam:

An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been
making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These
con-artists can sound convincing when they call.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card
or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or
suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their
intended victims such as their names and addresses and usually alter the caller ID to make it appear the
IRS is calling.

Victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information.
If the phone isn't answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.

To stay alert on scams that use the IRS as a lure, you can visit their web site at www.irs.gov and view
their “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” section.

Woodstock is proud to have been recognized as a 2007 Distinctive Destination
by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

• Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
• 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.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
• Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

• Do not give out any information and hang up immediately.
• Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to report the call.Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page at https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml.
• Report the incident to the Woodstock Police Department at 656 Lake Ave. Woodstock, IL815-338-2131 or your local law enforcement agency so current trends can be monitored.

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