Tax Scam Bill Reaches More Than $20 Million

Do you know where your tax return is? Are you sure that next year’s tax return is safe? It’s clear that the IRS does not have a strong prevention plan in place to stop would-be tax scammers from getting to your personal information and then using it to steal your tax return. According to a recent report from the top tax agency, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has received about 600,000 contacts since October 2013 in regards to tax scams. The TIGTA also noted that there have already been thousands of victims who have collectively lost more than $20 million in that time.

According to the IRS, most scammers pose as employees of the IRS and go after those that are most vulnerable, especially the elderly. However, their threatening tactics are clear-cut signs that they are not with the IRS. The agency will never call anyone and ask for personal information over the phone. The IRS will also always send a letter in the mail first, before contacting you by phone.

However, as the number of scams increases so do the scammers’ methods and abilities. Every year tax scammers get more sophisticated in their efforts. This year the IRS found that scammers have started to change phone number caller IDs in order to make it look as though the IRS is actually calling. Additionally, many scammers are starting to learn more about their victims even before they call, so they can appear to be even more legit.

If you think anyone has tried to scam you out of your tax return then the IRS suggests calling the following number: 1-800-829-1040.

Posted in

Bad Attitudes in the Workplace

Bad Attitudes in the Workplace Studies show that employee morale has taken a hit lately. Worker morale slumped last year, according to the results of a new survey from Randstad, one of the world’s largest professional employment services providers. The review was compiled from 3,233 online interviews, conducted this spring for Randstad by Harris Interactive.…

The Language of Wills

The Language of Wills Many professions and disciplines have their own vocabulary. As an example, think about the terminology used in medicine and law. Often this vocabulary defines complex ideas, yet just as often “terms of art” can be defined with relative ease to a layperson. Such is the case with much of the language…

3 STRATEGIES TO CONVERT PERFECTIONIST PARALYSIS INTO PRODUCTIVITY

3 Strategies to Convert Perfectionist Paralysis Into Productivity

3 Strategies to Convert Perfectionist Paralysis Into Productivity By  Paula Eder Time management tips help you break time habits that hinder your progress. For example, think of habitual perfectionism as the ultimate time goblin. The more of your time you feed it, the larger and more tyrannical it becomes. Fortunately, perfectionism is a learned behavior…

Venture Capital: Investing In The European Marketplace

Venture Capital: Investing In The European Marketplace By Stephen McLaughlin As anyone who has ever tried it knows, As anyone who has ever tried it knows, venture capital investing is not a game for the weak of heart. While it is certainly true that some venture capitalists have accumulated massive investing is not a game…