Tax Scams Still Abound!

The Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers about an increasing number
of tax scams in communities across the country. For even more information,
go to IRS.gov and type “scam” in the search box.



BCD Income Tax & Accounting LLC

Same Scam, New Twist

Don't even think about returning that phone call!!!!

The Internal Revenue Service and our own Cleveland County Sheriff's Office continue to warn taxpayers about pervasive phone scams from callers pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service.  The IRS has furnished the following information on its website detailing these calls:

"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."

These scammers have now added a new twist to the call:  They are using online street view applications to pull up a photo of your residence or business, then pretend that an "officer" has already been to your home to "arrest" you or serve you with liens.  They describe your home to you to convince you that their "agent" has indeed been there.

Our advice:  HANG UP!!!  If you suspect that you genuinely have an issue with the IRS or with the NCDOR, you can contact them directly by calling 1-800-829-1040 (IRS) or 1-877-252-3052 (NCDOR).

Read one local victim's story in this Charlotte Observer article.

BCD Income Tax & Accounting LLC