fbpx

Tax Scams to Watch Out For This Summer

Just because tax season is over doesn’t mean the scammers have called it quits.

By Matthew Frankel

The tax deadline has passed, and it may seem like now is the time to relax and forget about tax scammers for the time being. And it’s true that if you’ve already filed, you don’t need to worry about certain scams for now, such as a criminal filing a false return in your name.

Yet the summer months are prime time for other types of tax scams. Here are some cons you should watch out for and some ways to avoid falling victim to a fraudster this summer.

What scams should you look for?
Phone scams, in which a caller impersonates an IRS agent and demands payment for a phony tax bill, have become extremely common. These take many different forms, but the common factor is that the caller is aggressive and threatening (a big red flag that it’s not the IRS) and demands immediate payment, often in the form of a prepaid debit card or wire transfer.

These scams are common in the months immediately following the tax deadline, since it’s plausible to many unsuspecting taxpayers that the IRS has received their return and is now calling to alert them of an unpaid balance.

These callers can be rather convincing. They may have an official-sounding title, give a fake badge number, and they might know a great deal of personal information about you. The caller ID may even say “IRS” or something similar. This is why scammers have been successful at stealing $26.5 million from unsuspecting taxpayers so far.

Another type of tax scam to look out for is phishing, which is where an intended victim receives an unsolicited email intended to obtain personal information or to trick you into sending money. Like phone scams, this takes many forms, such as telling a taxpayer to “update their file” with the IRS and sending them to a bogus website.

Fortunately, phishing scams are relatively easy to spot if you know what to look for. Specifically, any official IRS website begins with www.irs.gov (not irs.com, irsgov.com, or any other variation). If an “IRS” website you’re looking at doesn’t start with this address, it’s probably a fake.
Thieves are creative, so don’t fall for any tricks
In order to stay a step ahead of law enforcement and unsuspecting taxpayers, criminals are constantly coming up with new and improved scams designed to get your money. Many of these can be quite convincing and official sounding, and may even say some variation of “IRS” on your caller ID.

For example, the IRS recently issued a warning to taxpayers, particularly college students, about a phone scam variation where an IRS impersonator calls to demand payment for the Federal Student Tax. Sounds official, right? Well, the Federal Student Tax doesn’t exist, but that hasn’t stopped several college students from wiring money to these scammers after false threats of arrest.

Know what the IRS won’t do
One of the best ways to identify and prevent tax scans is to know what the IRS doesn’t do. For example, the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment over the phone. In fact, the IRS won’t call you at all about past-due taxes without mailing you a bill first.

In addition, the IRS will never:

Threaten to have local police or other law enforcement organizations arrest you if you don’t pay.
Initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text message, or social media.
Demand you pay taxes, unless you’ve had the opportunity to appeal the amount they say you owe.
Require a specific and/or unconventional payment method. The IRS gladly accepts checks, as well as credit and debit cards through authorized third-party websites you can access through www.irs.gov.
Ask for a credit card (or debit card) number over the phone.
The bottom line on tax scams
As with any other type of scam, the best way to avoid being victimized by a tax scam is to know the warning signs. If you know how the IRS interacts with taxpayers and what a legitimate IRS web address looks like, then you can avoid phone and phishing tax scams 100% of the time.

You May Also Like
An Unknown Side of Cancun: Enjoy a Luxurious Stay at the JW Marriott Resort and Spa and Bring Your Taste for Adventure

Treat yourself to luxury, relaxation and unforgettable experiences at this fantastic resort.

Read More
Steiger Facial Plastic Surgery Offers Pamper Mom Facial Special

The offering is available through May 31.

Read More
NAIOP South Florida Appoints Officers, Executive Board and Board of Directors for 2022

NAIOP South Florida, a Commercial Real Estate Development Association offering advocacy, education and business opportunities to its members, has announced the following officers for the 2022 Board of Directors: President:

Read More
Pride Week Festival Begins With Tribute to Pulse Nightclub Survivor

Miami Beach Pride’s week-long festivities will commence with a special tribute to the LGBTQ+ community honoring the victims of the tragic shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. A ceremonial “flip

Read More
Other Posts
Surfside luxury condo sees notable sales

Arte at Surfside is making waves. There’s, of course, the news that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are renting at the 16-resident luxury condominium. And there’s the December penthouse sale

Read More
Up in the Air: A Discussion

In a dynamic region where residents are typically on the move, everyone is wondering about the health of the airline industry and the safety of airports and airplanes. Everyone is

Read More
South Florida Yachting Legend Passes

Robert “Bob” Roscioli, an icon in the South Florida marine industry, has passed away. Many recognize the name Roscioli from the widely-successful and world-renowned Roscioli Yachting Center, a full service

Read More
Four key steps

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] What a crazy time we are all experiencing. Right now, getting back to basics is most important. It is not and

Read More

Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.