Back in late January, we passed along a message from the IRS warning taxpayers not to fall prey to a scam being perpetrated by phony “agents.” The scammers call people, pretending to be with the IRS, and claim that the victim owes money in taxes and must pay up immediately.
The scammers harass their victims and often frighten them with threats of prison. As we previously discussed, targets tend to include older people, recent immigrants and people who do not speak English as a first language, perhaps with the idea that these groups are more easily intimidated by someone claiming to be with the government.
According to Fortune, more than 366,000 people have gotten these calls during the past two tax seasons. Of these, around 3,000 have made a total of $15.5 million in payments to the con artists since 2013. An official with the Treasury Department called it “the largest, most pervasive impersonation scam in the history of our agency.”
Readers should rightfully be suspicious if someone calls out of the blue claiming to be an IRS agent. The IRS says it does not use scare tactics to collect taxes, and always initiates contact with taxpayers through the mail.
Of course, a legitimate audit or tax bill from the IRS can be scary enough, when you consider the IRS’ power to put a lien on your property or garnish your wages. A tax attorney can help you stand up to the IRS, and help you work out the best course of action.
