Tips to Stay Safe from IRS Tax Scams. A Must Read!

A release from Stoneham Safety Officer Joseph Ponzo:

That time of the year is approaching us soon, and whether it’s a tax refund or a tax payment, we all must file our taxes, which makes everyone vulnerable to identify theft. In the past two years, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, there have been approximately 736,000 scam attempts, resulting in nearly 4,550 victims totaling a loss of more than $23 million. Understanding how not to become a victim is the only defense to this problem. With this in mind, I have decided to research a few tips which can be very helpful in understanding the methods these scammers use. Please keep these tips in mind, for you could be the next victim.

The IRS will NEVER reach out to anyone via email! If you receive an email from the IRS requesting money or advising you that you are in violation, please do not respond to the email. If you would like to do anything about it you can forward the email to the IRS’s special website for catching these criminals. This website is phishing@irs.gov and always delete the original email afterwards.

The IRS will RARELY contact anyone by phone. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, I would be very suspect of that call. Many scammers are contacting taxpayers claiming to be IRS officials. A telephone call will NOT be the first form of contact from the IRS. The IRS will always send you a letter or bill outlining any action you need to take. A call may follow, but this is extremely RARE! Don’t go by the caller identification on your phone to verify if this is a government number, because there are several ways for a scammer to disguise that number to match a government number. Always ask for the individual's name and badge number and you can call the IRS back at 800-829-1040 to determine if the call was legitimate.

The IRS will NOT demand immediate payment or apply excessive pressure for any outstanding
payments. If you owe tax money, the IRS gives you the right to question or appeal the amount you
owe. Phone threats are NEVER EVER used.

The IRS will NOT ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. Scammers always try to get you to divulge this type of information.

The IRS will Not ask for detailed personal information regarding PIN numbers and passwords to
information of accounts or credit cards.

I have personally witnessed cases in our community, where at least one if not all of these tactics were used to try to scam residents. Having these few tips in mind, you can eliminate yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft as well as prevent the loss of hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Please pass this article on to as many people as you know, for it is one of the most important articles I have written.

Remember Safety First!