The IRS says it received a record number of complaints about Economic Impact Payment scams in June and July in which con artists attempt to impersonate an IRS official.
IRS officials said in a news release these “phishing” scammers are related to payouts to ease the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The con artists try to mirror legitimate IRS communications with the goal of convincing unsuspecting taxpayers to enter personal information or submit a payment, officials said. This information is then exploited by culprit.
The number of scams have reached a level “not seen in more than a decade,” the release said.
“Deliberately defrauding American taxpayers is a criminal offense and Criminal Investigations will investigate these individuals and recommend prosecution,” said Brian Thomas, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit IRS Criminal Investigations.
Andrew Birge, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, added: “These phishing scams are a scourge. It’s critically important for members of the public to be aware of these scams and avoid becoming a victim. If anyone believes they are a victim, I encourage them to report it.”
Recent scam reports include:
• Text messages stating that a taxpayer is eligible for a “stimulus payment” and they must click on a link to complete the necessary information to claim it.
• Phishing emails claiming the IRS has calculated a taxpayer’s “fiscal activity” and they are eligible for an Economic Impact payment in a specific amount.
Officials said the best way to avoid falling victim to a scam is knowing the IRS does not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does not threaten individuals with jail or lawsuits, nor does it demand tax payments on gift cards or via cryptocurrency.
Taxpayers should be on the lookout for grammatical, capitalization and spelling errors in emails and texts, which serve as fraud indicators, officials said. Taxpayers should also exercise caution when clicking on shortened URLs, which can lead to fraudulent web pages.
Those who receive unsolicited emails or social media attempts to gather information that appear to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS should forward the message to phishing@irs.gov. Do not to engage potential scammers online or on the phone.
Taxpayers can report fraud or theft of their Economic Impact Payments to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration online at TIPS.TIGTA.GOV.
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September 03, 2021 at 09:29PM
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IRS warns of rise in scams related to COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments - The Morning Sun
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