Maria, there is a link at the bottom of this post for info on Treasury scams. Please read through the post as it contains info you need to know if you don't know it already.
The IRS continues to warn consumers to guard against scam phone calls from thieves intent on stealing their money or their identity. Criminals pose as the IRS to trick victims out of their money or personal information. Here are several tips to help you avoid being a victim of these scams:
Scammers make unsolicited calls. Thieves call taxpayers claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via phishing email.
Callers try to scare their victims. Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money.
Scams use caller ID spoofing. Scammers often alter caller ID to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
Cons try new tricks all the time. Some schemes provide an actual IRS address where they tell the victim to mail a receipt for the payment they make. Others use emails that contain a fake IRS document with a phone number or an email address for a reply. These scams often use official IRS letterhead in emails or regular mail that they send to their victims. They try these ploys to make the ruse look official.
The IRS will not:
Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.Demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.Threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.Do NOT return any calls.Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.
https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-scams-consumer-alerts
Information on US Treasury scams: https://www.treasury.gov/about/organizational ... rts_index2.aspx
Total scam. Originates in either India or Pakistan. Block and ignore. DO NOT RETURN THE CALL!
See: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Reiterate ... -Telephone-Scam
See also: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/scammers-continuing-pose-irs-agents
I’m an Enrolled Agent with the IRS (Inactive). IRS does not initiate contacts by phone. US mail only. IRS does not file lawsuits. IRS has enough administrative authority under the IRS Code and related regulations to collect all taxes lawfully due the federal government. Court action, if any is handled by the DOJ and all parties are entitled to legal assistance if it is a criminal matter. But--tax disputes are for the most part civil matters. 90% of all IRS tax disputes are settled administratively. IRS has absolutely no authority to call on local law enforcement for anything. Local law is never involved in IRS tax disputes. IRS does not threaten to involve local law enforcement or to arrest you for nonpayment of federal taxes. IRS has no powers of arrest as related to ordinary tax disputes. Having a deficiency in taxes owed by way of audit is NOT a crime. IRS does not cold call anyone and demand immediate payment of money. IRS does not ask for financial information over the phone. IRS does not accept Green card money paks for payment in any case. No one is prosecuted for ordinary tax disputes. IRS has absolutely no authority over anyone's professional license. Professional licensing is handled by state governments. Yes, levies on property to satisfy an existing tax obligation do occur, but only after a very long period of negotiation. And yes, liens are placed on individuals but usually after a lot of negotiation and a failure to reach a settlement. All determinations of tax liability are subject to appeals. All contacts by the IRS are initiated by US mail.
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The IRS continues to warn consumers to guard against scam phone calls from thieves intent on stealing their money or their identity. Criminals pose as the IRS to trick victims out of their money or personal information. Here are several tips to help you avoid being a victim of these scams:
Scammers make unsolicited calls. Thieves call taxpayers claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via phishing email.
Callers try to scare their victims. Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money.
Scams use caller ID spoofing. Scammers often alter caller ID to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
Cons try new tricks all the time. Some schemes provide an actual IRS address where they tell the victim to mail a receipt for the payment they make. Others use emails that contain a fake IRS document with a phone number or an email address for a reply. These scams often use official IRS letterhead in emails or regular mail that they send to their victims. They try these ploys to make the ruse look official.
The IRS will not:
Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.Demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.Threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.Do NOT return any calls.Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.
https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-scams-consumer-alerts
Information on US Treasury scams: https://www.treasury.gov/about/organizational ... rts_index2.aspx
So called officer breana scott called my dads number, but when I called from my phone, they said they were looking for me. But when I called their bluff, they hung up on me.