Hello? Is This Really the IRS, or Just a Scam?
No one enjoys getting a call from the IRS, but getting a call from someone who claims to be from the IRS, but who is really just a scammer, is even worse. However, according to the country’s top tax agency, that is exactly the kind of sophisticated and elaborate scam that has been going on lately.
The IRS says that the scam has occurred all over the country and has even taken aim at recent immigrants. According to the IRS, the scammers use fake names and IRS ID numbers. The scammers also apparently already have detailed information about the people they call and they are also able to alter their caller ID number so it appears to be coming from the tax agency.
The con artists then claim that the taxpayer owes money to the IRS and demand prompt payment for the debt. They also threaten jail time, license suspension or even deportation in some cases. The IRS absolutely does not use these kinds of tactics.
According to the IRS website it will never do the following things when it calls:
- Demand immediate payment. In fact, the IRS won’t even call you about taxes owed until mailing you first.
- Demand that you pay taxes without letting you question or appeal the amount you reportedly owe.
- Require you to use a specific payment method, like a prepaid debit card, for your taxes.
- Ask for debit or credit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to have you arrested by any law-enforcement groups for not paying your debt.
You can learn more about this and other tax-related scams by visiting the IRS consumer alerts page. You can also contact us at GROCO by clicking here.
Five Tax Credits to Take
Five Tax Credits to Take There is a common phrase that states, “Nothing in life is free.” This may be true, but there are tax credits you can take to help save money when filing your tax return. Credit #1-First Time Home Buyer Credit The first time home buyer credit has been extended to cover…
Best Ways to Avoid Social Security Taxes
Best Ways to Avoid Social Security Taxes For anyone getting closer to retirement the thought of collecting Social Security benefits has likely come to mind. You’ve worked a lifetime and now it’s time to kick off your shoes and reap the rewards of all that hard work. But did you know those benefits are not…
How Do Leaders Continue to Improve Their Leadership Skills?
How Do Leaders Continue to Improve Their Leadership Skills? What makes a great leader? This is a topic that I have discussed with many of the country’s top business leaders over the years. Everyone answers this question in his or her own unique way, they typically end up describing the same types of traits and…
What Do You Value in a Company?
What Do You Value in a Company? Startup companies are a dime-a-dozen, and many of them are looking for investment help from larger companies or in most cases investment bankers, also known as venture capitalists. Venture capitalists have a lot of money at their disposal but they don’t become successful by simply tossing money at…