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Criminals continue to use the IRS phone scam method in 2018. This is because they know they can scare people into paying these fake tax bills. The most popular way to impersonate IRS officials is via phone. While one fraud telephone network was just busted and sentenced to up to 20 years in prison – there are more popping up every day. Find out how to identify an IRS phone scam so that you don’t become their next victim.

Read more about other common scams in Parts 1-3 of our series.

• Advertising Decal Scams
• Prize & Sweepstakes Scams
• Online Dating Scams

IRS Scam Example

You receive a call on your cell phone. The caller ID may show that it’s coming from the U.S. government. It’s actually easy for scammers to spoof caller ids. When you answer, the caller claims to be an IRS official. They say you owe $3,000 in taxes. If you don’t pay immediately, you may be arrested! They give you instructions on how to pay and encourage you to do so right away to avoid any legal trouble. If you follow their directions, you weren’t paying taxes – you just lost your money to a scammer!

Press play to hear what the phone call may sound like.

Warning Signs it’s a Scam

Watch out for these particular warning signs if someone calls and says they are from the IRS.

• Demanding immediate payment without the option to appeal your case
• Called you without sending a notice in the mail first
• Asking for personal information like debit card numbers
• Requiring you to use specific means of payment, like prepaid debit cards
• Threatening to arrest you if you don’t pay

A real IRS official will send you multiple notices in the mail before contacting you any other way. They will only ever ask you to make payments to the United States Treasury. And they will give you options to appeal your case without threatening you. If someone contacts you claiming to be from the IRS but displays one or more of the above warning signs – just hang up!

If you think you’ve received an IRS scam phone call, notify these agencies:

• The FTC’s Complaint Assistant
• The Treasury’s IRS Scam Reporting Tool

The IRS is always on the watch for new scams. They keep an alert page up-to-date so you can check on the latest scams.

If you want to learn more about protecting yourself from fraud, read these recent articles.

• How to Avoid Consumer Fraud for PA Residents
• Common Fraud Tactics and How to Avoid Them

Do you have any questions about IRS phone scams or other common fraud? Let us know in the comments.

Don’t Just Protect Yourself from Scams

Make smart money decisions by reducing your debt too! Read our FREE guide to eliminating debt today. It will give you the roadmap you need to start getting rid of your debt once and for all. Read it now!