Be cautious | Get a call or email from the IRS? It’s likely a scam

Phone scammers and bogus e-mailers are out in force during this tax season, and apparently Port Orchard has become a target.

February 11, 2016 12:36 pm
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Phone scammers and bogus e-mailers are out in force during this tax season, and apparently Port Orchard has become a target.

According to the Port Orchard Police, automated phone calls have been ringing at area residents — so much so that the department has been getting plenty of phone calls in the past few days.

Crime Prevention Officer Jana Deck has issued a report to citizens about these fraudulent attempts carried out by criminals. Here’s her report:

The Port Orchard Police Department would like to remind citizens that during tax season there are many fraudulent attempts by criminals to scam people out of their money or their tax returns. We have recently had a large volume of calls reporting an automated phone call threatening legal action or arrest by the IRS.

Most Recent IRS Scams:

Tax Preparer Phishing Scam

A bogus email asks tax professionals to update their IRS e-services portal information and Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs). The links that are provided in the bogus email to access IRS e-services appear to be a phishing scheme designed to capture your username and password. This email was not generated by the IRS e-services program. Disregard this email and do not click on the links provided.

IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scam

An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

Or, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information.

If the phone isn’t answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.

Note that the IRS will never: 1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill; 2) demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe; 3) require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card; 4) ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or 5) threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

The Port Orchard Police Department advises people NEVER to return phone calls to phone numbers they cannot verify by using a legitimate known source.

If someone is claiming to be a government agency or banking source, contact the legitimate organization using phone numbers you are assured belong to that organization. Most citizens who fall prey to criminal scams admit to using phone numbers provided by the scam artists themselves.

You may report instances of IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.Get a call from the IRS? It’s likely a scam

Phone scammers and bogus emailers are out in force during this tax season, and apparently Port Orchard has become a target.

According to the Port Orchard Police, automated phone calls have been ringing at area residents — so much so that the department has been getting plenty of phone calls in the past few days.

Crime Prevention Officer Jana Deck has issued a report to citizens about these fraudulent attempts carried out by criminals. Here’s her report:

The Port Orchard Police Department would like to remind citizens that during tax season there are many fraudulent attempts by criminals to scam people out of their money or their tax returns. We have recently had a large volume of calls reporting an automated phone call threatening legal action or arrest by the IRS.

Most Recent IRS Scams:

Tax Preparer Phishing Scam

A bogus email asks tax professionals to update their IRS e-services portal information and Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs). The links that are provided in the bogus email to access IRS e-services appear to be a phishing scheme designed to capture your username and password. This email was not generated by the IRS e-services program. Disregard this email and do not click on the links provided.

IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scam

An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

Or, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information.

If the phone isn’t answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.

Note that the IRS will never: 1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill; 2) demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe; 3) require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card; 4) ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or 5) threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

The Port Orchard Police Department advises people NEVER to return phone calls to phone numbers they cannot verify by using a legitimate known source.

If someone is claiming to be a government agency or banking source, contact the legitimate organization using phone numbers you are assured belong to that organization. Most citizens who fall prey to criminal scams admit to using phone numbers provided by the scam artists themselves.

You may report instances of IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.
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