Internal Revenue Service | An official website of the United States government

Hello RP, Well I put the below Email together for my Commands OPSEC program. I decided to share it out here so you all can copy and paste to get the word out. All this was derived from the IRS.gov site and my States Crime Watch / Reports. Please feel free to cut and paste I do not want nor need credit just get the word out so we can help keep people safe.

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Well it is Tax season again and the scammers are making the rounds. Below you will find a few of their more prevalent modus operandi, along with specific IRS Tips on what to look out for. Please pass this on to your families and friends. The only way to beat these criminals is to educate everyone. Stay Safe.

IRS Scams,

Phone Scam 1: You get a computer generated call claiming to be the IRS that wished to alert a citizen of fraud concerning their taxes. The call goes on to say that the resident had "committed a crime". The call then provides a number you need to call "immediately" to get the matter straight, and avoid criminal prosecution.

Phone Scam 2: You get a call from a spoofed or blocked number and they Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying, then off you a settlement.

Phishing: You receive an Email with IRS Logo demanding you go to a specified site and pay your taxes or you will be fined / arrested / (several other threats are used.)
Inflated Refund Claims: Taxpayers should be on the lookout for anyone promising inflated refunds. Be wary of anyone who asks taxpayers to sign a blank return, promises a big refund before looking at their records or charges fees based on a percentage of the refund. Fraudsters use flyers, advertisements, phony storefronts and word of mouth via community groups where trust is high to find victims.

Fake Charities: Be on guard against groups masquerading as charitable organizations to attract donations from unsuspecting contributors. Be wary of charities with names similar to familiar or nationally known organizations. Contributors should take a few extra minutes to ensure their hard-earned money goes to legitimate and currently eligible charities. IRS.gov has the tools taxpayers need to check out the status of charitable organizations

Tips: The IRS reminds people that they can know pretty easily when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.
1. The IRS will NEVER call to demand immediate payment. The IRS will never call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.

2. The IRS will NEVER demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

3. The IRS will NEVER require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card, gift card, or crypto currency.

4. The IRS will NEVER ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

5. The IRS will NEVER threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:

If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at [login to see] . The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.

If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at [login to see] or at http://www.tigta.gov.
You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Impostor Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes


:::::::::::: Remember, the IRS does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue ever.:::::::::