The IRS issued a Scam Alert for the public to be aware of a sophisticated phone scam targeting individual taxpayers and employers. Fraudulent callers claim to be IRS employees and are using fake names and IRS identification badge numbers. They appear to know a lot about their targets and are altering the caller ID to make it appear as if it is the IRS is calling.
A few tactics that the scammers are using include:
- Telling victims that they owe the IRS money and it must be paid promptly through a gift card or wire transfer
- Threatening victims with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license
- Being hostile and insulting to the victims
- Indicating that the victim has a refund due to trick them into sharing sensitive information
- Leaving an “urgent” callback request if the phone is unanswered
The full IRS article, including how to contact the IRS if you experience suspicious activity, can be viewed here: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom.