It’s tax season, which means there will be scammers out there trying to part you from your personal information and money. According to the IRS, here are some of the biggest scams to watch for in the coming months.
- Fake IRS emails or websites. Remember, the IRS will never try to contact you by email. If you aren’t sure if it is the IRS emailing you, call the Internal Revenue Service directly at 800.829.1040.
- Fake charities looking for donations. It’s hard to tell what organizations are real and which are not. Visit charity.org to be sure.
- Threatening phone calls from the IRS. The IRS will not call and threaten anyone, ever. Nor will they demand immediate payment.
- Refund theft. Scammers have been known to steal a person’s identity and file false returns to get the refund. If this happens to you, contact the IRS immediately.
- Senior tax fraud. If someone claims to be from the IRS and offers to help you with your return, do not given them any information. This scam can happen by phone or email.
- IRS compromise scams. If you owe the IRS money, keep making your pre-scheduled payments per the IRS guidelines. Some companies offering to settle that debt may be a scam.
- Fake payments and repayment demands. If you get a refund from the IRS, but you have not completed a return, call the IRS at 800.829.1040. If someone claiming to be from the IRS calls asking you to refund that money via gift cards or wire return, do not send them the money.