Tax season is here. It’s not only a time filled with W-2s and receipts – but scams as well. You’ll want to be on your guard to protect yourself this time of year. 

IRS Imposter Scams

Whether it’s by phone, mail or email, IRS scammers will often try one of two approaches to get your information:

• Tax Collection– Scammers will contact you claiming you owe taxes. They’ll demand that you pay immediately usually by a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. 
• Verify Information– You’ll be asked to verify your personal information either by email or text message. It’ll come with a link asking to “click here” or click a button that will take you to a fake form or website.

Be Careful

• If the caller/sender demands payment immediately, don’t give in.
• Ignore your caller ID. Scammers know how to alter it to say “IRS.”
• Don’t click on any links that ask you to verify your information! 
• If someone calls out of the blue saying they’re from the IRS – beware. The IRS will always mail you before calling.
• Get the caller’s name, callback number and badge number and then call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 800-366-4484 to check if they’re actually an IRS employee. If not, you need to report them to the IRS.
• If the communication includes the threat of arrest, it’s not from the IRS. 

Let the IRS Know

If you feel you’ve been a victim of IRS imposter fraud, you should report it. You can

report IRS imposter scams online here or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484. If you’ve gotten a scam email, you can forward it to the IRS: phishing@irs.gov.

Don’t forget, when it’s time to file your taxes, WWFCU members get a  great discount on TurboTax!