As tax season jumps into full swing so do the criminals looking to take advantage of the unprepared. Turbo Tax actually halted the filing of many state returns this year due to scammers using the software to file for fraudulent refunds. The IRS estimates that it sent out nearly 3 million fraudulent refunds to con artist last year, at a cost to tax payers of $5.2 Billion.
The IRS has just released its list of 2015’s top scams and there are a few that we have seen recently.
I have had several clients call me regarding messages left on their phone from the IRS demanding money. These callers can be very convincing. Please know that the IRS will never call you and demand money without having first mailed you a bill and given you an opportunity to appeal or question the amount they say you owe.
E-mail scammers try to take advantage of you is by Phishing. Phishing is an e-mail fraud method in which the scammer sends you a legitimate looking email in an attempt to gather personal and financial information. The IRS will not send you an E-mail about a bill or refund out of the blue.
Another area where potential fraud may occur is when a criminal sets up a fake charitable organization seeking donations for what seem like a worthy cause. The IRS publishes the names of exempt organizations eligible to receive tax deductible charitable contributions. To see if a charity is able to accept tax deductible contributions visit this link:
http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/mainSearch.do?mainSearchChoice=pub78&dispatchMethod=selectSearch
If you are ever unsure about a call or e-mail feel check with your accountant. They will be able to tell whether a notice is legitimate or fraudulent. To see the full list of scams released by the IRS you can visit this link:
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Completes-the-Dirty-Dozen-Tax-Scams-for-2015