Tax season is already an unpleasant and much-dreaded time but, for many, it also carries a higher risk of getting scammed for hundreds or even thousands of dollars — every year, fraudsters will try to take advantage of people’s anxiety about receiving a letter from the IRS to get them to transfer money or give away sensitive information.
Common red flag phrases like “urgent” and “your account is at risk of being shut down” come up from year to year but, in 2023, there has been a rise in a new scam called “vishing.”
Short for “voice phishing,” vishing refers to impersonating someone else with the purposes of scamming by phone rather than text or email. Many use voice-alteration software while others simply repeat the same scam from thousands of fake phone numbers that are very difficult to track.
Here’s What You Need To Know About Vishing
“An IRS-related vishing scam is where a caller, supposedly from the IRS, says there’s been some sort of legal action involving your social security number, and they’ll send agents to your home unless you provide money to correct it,” John Wilson, the senior fellow of threat research at cybersecurity software provider Fortra, told TheStreet in an email.
In the weeks leading up to tax season, instances in which callers try to impersonate the IRS are going to increase. According to Wilson, one of the most important things one can do to protect oneself is to steer clear of any messages saying that something is “urgent.”
As the real IRS…
