Included below is information from the IRS regarding recent new scams. This has been an increasing problem in recent years.
A general guideline I heard at a recent conference was: If the IRS calls you, hang up. If the IRS emails you, ignore it. Their customer service is not that good!
Seriously, the IRS corresponds by mail regarding matters involving your income taxes.
The entire IRS release can be accessed at:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/scam-alert-irs-urges-taxpayers-to-watch-out…
Scam Alert: IRS Urges Taxpayers to Watch Out for Erroneous Refunds; Beware of Fake Calls to Return Money to a Collection Agency
IR-2018-27, Feb. 13, 2018
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers of a quickly growing scam involving erroneous tax refunds being deposited into their bank accounts. The IRS also offered a step-by-step explanation for how to return the funds and avoid being scammed.
Following up on a Security Summit alert issued Feb. 2, the IRS issued this additional warning about the new scheme after discovering more tax practitioners’ computer files have been breached. In addition, the number of potential taxpayer victims jumped from a few hundred to several thousand in just days. The IRS Criminal Investigation division continues its investigation into the scope and breadth of this scheme.
These criminals have a new twist on an old scam. After stealing client data from tax professionals and filing fraudulent tax returns, these criminals use the taxpayers’ real bank accounts for the deposit.
Thieves are then using various tactics to reclaim the refund from the taxpayers, and their versions of the scam may continue to evolve.