Protection from Tax Scam Tactics

Tax scams don’t just happen during tax season; they attempt to take advantage of unsuspecting people all year long. To protect yourself from these scams, the IRS stresses that you stay alert and informed about how posers can claim to be the IRS in order to get your personal information and money. The following are tips provided by the IRS on how you can guard yourself from falling victim to tax scams.

Scare Tactics

Many of these tax scams use aggressive means in order to scare you into making a fraudulent tax payment. They may threaten you with arrest, deportation, or a revocation of your license if you don’t send the payment. Scammers may also tell you to “urgently” get back in contact with them via phone or email. Typically, a tax email scam will include a fake IRS document with a phone number and email address to reply to.

Scammers are able to change information displayed by caller IDs to make it appear like the IRS or a legit agency is contacting you. They also use IRS titles and fraudulent badge numbers against you to make it seem even more real. Scammers often will get basic information about you, like your name and address, from online resources so they can appear authentic when they contact you.

Phishing Email / Postal Mail

These scams use copies of official IRS letterheads that are used in the email and postal mail that they send you. Some even go as far as to create a fake IRS mailing address for you to mail your payment receipt. It’s all done in order to make the scam seem authentic as possible.

Knowledge is your best defense if you ever come across a tax scam. By knowing what the IRS doesn’t do, you’ll recognize a scam within first contact. The actual IRS will not

• Call you demanding immediate payment
• Threaten you with police or other agencies
• Ask for credit or debit card information over the phone
• Call you if you owe taxes without first sending a bill in the mail
• Require that you pay a certain way like with a prepaid debit card
• Demand you pay taxes without question or an appeal to the amount you owe

You don’t have to be victimized. You can report any strange call claiming to be the IRS to either the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration or the Federal Trade Commission or even both. At the very least, you can hang up immediately without giving any information.

Tax information and personal information is of the utmost importance with ExpressTaxFilings. We safely and securely e-file your tax returns and our services are officially authorized by the IRS, which can be seen here. Our site is encrypted, McAfee secure certified, and protected by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Any information you enter with us goes directly to the IRS and no one else.

For any assistance with e-filing your W-2 and 1099 with ExpressTaxFilings, contact our support team of live professionals at our office located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. You can call (704) 839-2270 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, email at support@expresstaxfilings.com, or live chat with us at www.expresstaxfilings.com.