This week we continue in our series regarding the recently issued IRS “Dirty Dozen” tax scams. Last time, we discussed numbers one thru four on the list. This week we’ll highlight numbers five thru seven.
Number five of the Dirty Dozen is a sad reminder, as the IRS put it, that scammers are still using the COVID-18 pandemic to steal people’s money and identities. These hazards can arise from within social media, emails, texts, and telephone calls, and such scams have proliferated during the pandemic.
“Caution and awareness are our best lines of defense against these criminals” who steal tax refunds, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig was quoted as saying. Here are some things the thieves are trying and at which, unfortunately, are all too often successful:
Economic impact payment and tax refund scams – It’s important to note that the IRS has issued all authorized EIPs, also known as stimulus payments, and that most eligible taxpayers have already received them. There simply are no more. Some tell-tale signs of an EIP scam include any text message, unexpected phone call, or email that asks a taxpayer to provide or verify bank account information.
The IRS does not initiate taxpayer contact by phone, email, text, or social media asking for a Social Security number or other personal or financial information, the IRS said, repeating a…
