SAN ANTONIO – Scammers claiming to be from the IRS continue to successfully prey on unknowing taxpayers. Knowing the common signs of these scams is the best way to avoid becoming a victim, says IRS Special Agent Kurt Bertram.
“The IRS will never call you out of the blue and demand immediate payment,” said Bertram.
Joe Garcia received one such call claiming to be from the IRS informing him he was facing legal action.
In an automated recording, the call said “From IRS. Internal Revenue Services. The reason for this call is to inform you the IRS is filing a lawsuit against you. To get more information about this case file, please call immediately our department number 509-790-0339.”
“I was telling some people at work about it and they said 'You know what?, my mother got one,’ and, 'You know, I got one.' So I wasn’t the only one,” Garcia said.
Scammers claiming to be with the IRS often threaten potential victims with a lawsuit because the say they owe money. If you pay immediately, the fake IRS workers say the suit will be dropped.
Sometimes the scams threaten victims will be arrested if they do not pay.
Bertram says if you owe money to the actual IRS, you should receive several notices giving you time to respond.
Another red flag to watch for is how scammers ask you to pay.
The IRS will most commonly ask you to mail a check.
“We will not ask you for a credit card, a money order, or a reloadable debit card over the phone. It's not going to happen,” Bertram said.
As of March, IRS scammers have cheated Texans out of more than $795,000.
Nationwide, that number tops $14 million.
“You know, its like fishing. Throw out the rod enough times, once in a while you’re going to get a snag and pull one in,” Garcia said.
Often, these scammers are located outside the United States making them difficult for law enforcement to pursue.
“The best advice is do not engage these folks over the phone,” Bertam said. “When somebody calls you and tells you that you owe the IRS $5,000 and if you don’t pay today you’re going to be arrested immediately -- and you need to wire transfer that money -- hang up the phone and report the incident.”
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigates these IRS scams. You can report fraud to TIGTA by calling 1-800-366-4484 or visit the TIGTA website.
To find out whether you legitimately owe money to the IRS, call 1-800-829-1040.
“Its incumbent on the taxpayer to be aware that if somebody calls you and it feels wrong and is demanding money, that’s not how the IRS transacts business,” Bertram said.