It is tax season time, and the San Angelo Police Department is warning consumers about Phishing scams from individuals claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These scammers are posing as tax officials and are threatening Texans with fines, arrest and other penalties if they do not immediately pay a false claim of unpaid taxes, said Officer Tracy Gonzalez, public information officer for SAPD.
“We want to remind consumers to be vigilant and aware of dishonest individuals posing as public tax officials who use fear tactics and intimidation to cheat taxpayers out of their hard-earned money,” said Gonzalez. “We would also like you to know how and who to report these scams to, even if you don’t fall for them.”
To assist with this process, SAPD has provided important information with imbedded links that warrant saving for future reference, Gonzalez added.
Overall, Phishing scams are particularly relevant during the tax season. Taxpayers receive emails with the IRS logo and/or claiming to be from the “Taxpayer Advocate Service.” The email asks the taxpayer to resolve an issue with his or her “2015 filing” by clicking a link within the email. The web page accessed then solicits personal information such as the recipient’s legal name and contact information. Gonzalez said legitimate IRS officials recommend consumers report all unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS or an IRS-related function to [email protected].
Additionally, recent scams have used the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to attract potential victims. If anyone has experienced any monetary losses due to an IRS-related incident, please report it to the Treasury Inspector General Administration (TIGTA), and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through its Complaint Assistant to make the information available to investigators.
Gonzalez stated that telephone scams are conducted by a caller who instructs recipients to immediately make payments for back taxes through wire transfers or a pre-loaded debit card like Green Dot MoneyPak®. Through “Telephone spoofing” techniques, the scam phone numbers appear to be that of the IRS or local police departments. Scammers have also used fake names and IRS badge numbers, and may be able to recite the last four digits of a victim’s Social Security Number.
If the victim does not respond to these threats, the scammer may have others call the victim pretending to be from a government entity such as a local law enforcement agency. Officials with Green Dot MoneyPak® warn consumers if they give their MoneyPak number to a criminal, Green Dot is not responsible for paying them back. The funds are not insured against loss.
Gonzalez said, “Other tax scams come via paper mail, fax, fake websites and by text message or Short Message Service (SMS).”
SAPD has provided the following chart below from the IRS designed to instruct consumers about what they should do if they receive suspicious IRS-related communication.
What to do if you receive a suspicious IRS-related communication
| If | Then |
|---|---|
| You receive an email claiming to be from the IRS that contains a request for personal information, taxes associated with a large investment, inheritance or lottery. |
|
| You receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee ... |
|
| You receive a letter, notice or form via paper mail or fax from an individual claiming to be the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee … | Go to the IRS home page and search on the letter, notice, or form number. Fraudsters often modify legitimate IRS letters. You can also find information at Understanding Your Notice or Letteror by searching Forms and Pubs.
|
| You receive an unsolicited fax, such as Form W8-BEN claiming to be from the IRS, requesting personal information … | Please send us the email or scanned fax via email to [email protected] (Subject: 'FAX'). Visit the FATCA home page and Form W8-BEN for more information. |
| You receive an unsolicited telephone call or email, involving a stock or share purchase, that involves suspicious IRS or Department of Treasury documents such as "advance fees" or "penalties" ... | ... and you are a U.S. citizen located in the United States or its territories or a U.S. citizen living abroad.
... and you are not a U.S. citizen and reside outside the United States.
|
| You discover a website on the Internet that claims to be the IRS but you suspect it is bogus … | ... send the URL of the suspicious site tophishing@irs.gov (Subject: 'Suspicious Website'). |
| You receive a text message or Short Message Service (SMS) message claiming to be from the IRS … |
|
For more information about IRS scams, visit https://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing.
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