IRS Phone Scam Intensifies During Filing Season

As taxpayers are working to file their taxes, criminals are also hard at work — attempting to steal their money. While there are several versions of tax scams, the classic telephone con continues to thrive, especially during filing season. As a reminder, here’s how the scam works:

Scammers call taxpayers telling them they owe taxes and face arrest if they don’t pay. Sometimes, the first call is a recording, asking taxpayers to call back to clear up a tax matter or face arrest.
When taxpayers call back, the scammers often use threatening and hostile language. The thief claims the taxpayers may pay their debts using a gift card, other pre-paid cards or wire transfers.
Taxpayers who comply lose their money to the scammers.
Taxpayers should remember that the IRS does not:

Call taxpayers demanding immediate payment using a specific payment method, but will first mail a bill.
Threaten to have taxpayers arrested for not paying taxes.
Demand payment without giving taxpayers an opportunity to question or appeal the amount the IRS believes they owe.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
Taxpayers who receive these phone calls should:

Hang up the phone immediately, without providing any information.
Report these calls to the:
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, using the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting form, or by calling 800-366-4484.
Federal Trade Commission, using the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov, being sure to include “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

 

From: IRS Tax Tip 2018-44

Effects of a government shutdown – IRS

With tax season upon us, the IRS has a significant amount of essential personnel it needs to keep on duty, but more than 50% of the agency’s employees are being furloughed during the shutdown. If it were any other time of the year, that percentage would be even higher. The IRS begins accepting 2017 tax returns on January 29, but questions may go unanswered, and help from agency employees will be hard to come by as Americans try to figure out this new tax system on their own during the shutdown.

Excerpt: Caroline Kenny, CNN

 

Deciding Whether and How to File? Here’s What to Remember.

As people prepare to file their taxes, there are things to consider. They will want to determine if they need to file and the best way to do so.

Here are three things for people to keep in mind as they prepare to file their taxes:

Who is Required to File. In most cases, income, filing status and age determine if a taxpayer must file a tax return. Other rules may apply if the taxpayer is self-employed or if they are a dependent of another person. For example, if a taxpayer is single and younger than age 65, they must file if their income was at least $10,400. There are other instances when a taxpayer must file. Go to IRS.gov/filing for more information.

Filing to get a refund. Even if a taxpayer doesn’t have to file, they should file a tax return if they can get money back. If a taxpayer answers “yes” to any of these questions, they could be due a refund:

◦Did my employer withhold federal income tax from my pay?
◦Did I make estimated tax payments?
◦Did I overpay last year and have it applied to this year’s tax?

Excerpt: IRS Tax Tip 2018-07