Taxpayers should know the signs of a phone scam, especially during filing season

Taxpayers should be aware that aggressive criminals pose as IRS agents in hopes of stealing money or personal information. The tax filing season is a prime time for phone scams because people are thinking about taxes.
Here are some tell-tale signs of a tax scam along with actions taxpayers can take if they receive a scam call.

Don’t Fall for Scam Calls and Emails Posing as IRS

Scammers and cyberthieves continue to use the IRS as bait. The most common tax scams are phone calls and emails from thieves who pretend to be from the IRS. Scammers use the IRS name, logo, fake employee names and badge numbers to try to steal money and identities from taxpayers.

IRS Alerts Taxpayers about Refund Scam

The IRS warns taxpayers of a new twist on an old scam. Criminals are depositing fraudulent tax refunds into individuals’ actual bank accounts, then attempting to reclaim the refund from the taxpayers.