Growing number of tax scams threaten local residents
CHENANGO COUNTY – U.S. Congressman Richard Hanna is warning residents in the 22nd Congressional District of tax scams that have been known to cause taxpayers thousands of dollars.
According to information from the Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration, phone scams are growing in numbers in every state across the U.S. Calls are typically made from individuals falsely claiming to represent the International Revenue Service who tell victims that they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.
Scammers threaten people who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation, or loss of a business or drivers license.
However, phone calls are not the first point of contact for the IRS, Hanna warned.
“What people need to remember is: never give out any personal information over the phone,” he said. “Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls, especially callers who are aggressive and relentless. These criminals often prey on older people, so pass the word along to elderly neighbors, friends and family.”
When it comes to unpaid taxes, the IRS often contacts individuals through mail, not by phone. Moreover, the IRS will never request personal or financial information via email, texting, or any social media site. Also important to remember, said Hanna, is that the IRS will not ask for payment with debit cards or wire transfers, nor will it ask for a credit card number over the phone.
Callers who commit this line of fraud commonly use an automated robocall machine, use common names and fake IRS badge numbers, may know the last four digits of the victim’s social security number, mislead victims into believing information appears as if the IRS is calling, send deceptive emails, and call a second or third time pretending to be an official from a local police department or the department of moter vehicles to support their claim.
Anyone suspecting that they are being scammed are cautioned to hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. If taxes are not owed, they should fill out an IRS impersonation scam form available on the Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration website, www.treasury.gov/tigta or call 800-866-4484. A complaint may also be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov.
Said Hanna, “Let’s do all we can to prevent this scam from spreading further and hurting more hardworking Americans.”
According to information from the Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration, phone scams are growing in numbers in every state across the U.S. Calls are typically made from individuals falsely claiming to represent the International Revenue Service who tell victims that they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.
Scammers threaten people who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation, or loss of a business or drivers license.
However, phone calls are not the first point of contact for the IRS, Hanna warned.
“What people need to remember is: never give out any personal information over the phone,” he said. “Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls, especially callers who are aggressive and relentless. These criminals often prey on older people, so pass the word along to elderly neighbors, friends and family.”
When it comes to unpaid taxes, the IRS often contacts individuals through mail, not by phone. Moreover, the IRS will never request personal or financial information via email, texting, or any social media site. Also important to remember, said Hanna, is that the IRS will not ask for payment with debit cards or wire transfers, nor will it ask for a credit card number over the phone.
Callers who commit this line of fraud commonly use an automated robocall machine, use common names and fake IRS badge numbers, may know the last four digits of the victim’s social security number, mislead victims into believing information appears as if the IRS is calling, send deceptive emails, and call a second or third time pretending to be an official from a local police department or the department of moter vehicles to support their claim.
Anyone suspecting that they are being scammed are cautioned to hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. If taxes are not owed, they should fill out an IRS impersonation scam form available on the Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration website, www.treasury.gov/tigta or call 800-866-4484. A complaint may also be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov.
Said Hanna, “Let’s do all we can to prevent this scam from spreading further and hurting more hardworking Americans.”
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