Tax season is upon us once again and bad actors are in full swing with their scams. It's important to recognize that while some tactics remain unchanged, bad actors are modifying their approaches in hopes to trip us up.
Some Important IRS Reminders
The IRS will NEVER contact you via email, text message, or social media to request personal or financial information.
The IRS will NEVER threaten you in any way (e.g., criminal action or revoking your driver's licenses) or demand payment immediately.
To learn more about how the IRS contacts taxpayers, please click here.
Recent Scam Tactics
Bad actors are calling and claiming to suspend or cancel your SSN unless you take action. Hang up, don't call back and block the phone number.
Phishing emails are circulating that appear to be from the IRS. As mentioned above, the IRS won't email you. These fake emails will have links to fake IRS website (they look so real it's uncanny) that may request personal information or prompt you to download files for your "tax refund" that are actually malicious.
Remember both the IRS and the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), an arm of the IRS, will not call you. However, bad actors call pretending to be from the IRS or TAS and try to obtain your personal information or demand money. Again, hang up and block the number.
There are individuals out there known as "ghost" tax return preparers. They offer to prepare your tax returns, usually collecting payment in advance, and claim they can get you a nice refund. Instead, they take your payment and don't even file the return. Always use a known and trusted tax professional or service.
If you're a tax professional you'll want to pay attention here. Bad actors are looking to steal your Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs). They are attempting to do so through phishing emails and phone calls pretending to be from the IRS.
Last, but certainly not least, unemployment fraud has run rampant this past year. If you received a Form 1099-G for 2020 unemployment compensation that you did not receive, there are some steps you need to take, which including notifying your state agency of the fraud and requesting a corrected Form 1099-G. Click here for the IRS recommended steps to take.
To learn more about these tax scams and others, click here.
As always, the BlackCloak Team is here to help. If you have any questions, email us at ask@blackcloak.io.
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The BLACKCLOAK Team
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