IRS Scammers Net $14 Million from 3,000 Victims
The pervasive IRS impersonation phone scam has claimed nearly 3,000 victims who have collectively paid over $14 million, according to a new warning from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). According to the TIGTA, they have received reports of around 290,000 cases due to this scam from taxpayers since October 2013. In the scam, the scammers make unsolicited calls to taxpayers fraudulently claiming to be IRS officials and demanding that they send them money for unpaid taxes via prepaid debit cards or wire transfer.
It is very important to note that the IRS usually first contacts people by mail—not by phone—about unpaid taxes. The agency will not ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer and IRS employees also will not ask for a credit card number over the phone. Further, the IRS will never request personal or financial information by email, texting, or any social media and if you receive such an email do not open any attachments or click on any links in these emails.
If you are contacted by one of these scam methods and you know or think you owe taxes, definitely end the conversation and consult with your CPA.
To report the scam, you can fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form on TIGTA’s Web site, www.treasury.gov/tigta or call 800-366-4484. Taxpayers can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov.
Paul Neiffer is a certified public accountant and business advisor specializing in income taxation, accounting services, and succession planning for farmers and agribusiness processors. Paul is a principal with CliftonLarsonAllen in Walla Walla, Washington, as well as a regular speaker at national conferences and contributor at agweb.com. Raised on a farm in central Washington, he has been immersed in the ag industry his entire life, including the last 30 years professionally. Paul and his wife purchase an 180 acre ranch in 2016 and enjoy keeping it full of animals.
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