Tax Season Approaches

Tax Season Approaches
With the approach of tax season, the IRS reminds taxpayers that they must never, ever give out personal financial information — such as Social Security numbers or credit card and bank account numbers and passwords — to anyone who calls you, claiming to be from the IRS.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that IRS impersonation scams continue year-round and that they tend to peak when scammers find prime opportunities to strike. These scammers will be aggressive and use threatening phone calls while impersonating IRS agents, and the scams remain a major threat to taxpayers.

Here are some things scammers, but never the IRS, often do. Any one of these four things is a telltale sign of a scam:

1. Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.

2. Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.

3. Demand that taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.

4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.