We've all gotten them. It's a robo call from someone purporting to be an IRS agent informing you that you've got a tax problem which is about to become a legal nightmare if you don't call another phone number right now. It's a scam, but apparently it's profitable. Or at least it was, because they've changed tactics. Now they politely inform you that they just need to verify a few details, such as your Social Security number, bank account number or credit card number. It's still a scam. See Consumer Alert: Scammers Change Tactics, Once Again.
Don't call the cops -- there's nothing they can do, and the IRS is notoriously uncooperative with local police. Here's what the IRS alert says to do:
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money or to verify your identity, here’s what you should do:
If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
I suppose I should include this part.
If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.
By now you're probably thinking that the IRS is merely collecting for a scam, too, with the exception that they've got the power to ruin us if we don't pay. Yeah, I know. But until we get a flat tax or at least some honest to goodness tax reform then we're stuck with it.
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