Warning Hot Summertime IRS Scams

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IRS Scams on the Rise

IRS Scams on the Rise Like the Summer Heat

 

The IRS recently announced a surge in tax scams this summer. The scams are coming to taxpayers via email and text messages. They promise tax refunds and quick fixes to tax problems. They are all illegal and dishonest.

One of the more prominent email scams makes claims to a third round of Economic Impact Payments. The IRS stated that it gets hundreds of complaints daily about this scam-reported to its phishing@irs.gov inbox. These emails include an embedded link taking innocent taxpayers to a phishing website that steals their personal information.

The second most common scam currently is one encouraging people to “Claim your tax refund online” as well as text messages noting that the person’s tax return was “banned” by the IRS. Recipients of the emails and texts should notice the glaring typos and awkward phrasing. Taxpayers should be wary and never click on any links.

Details about these scams and other troubling ones can be found at irs.gov. People who receive suspicious emails should send the email to phishing@irs.gov. If they fall victim to the scam, they should also file a complaint with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and visit https://identitytheft.gov and https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central.