Phone Calls
The most popular way IRS scams work is you get a call without warning from a person insisting you owe money to the IRS. Often, they will have a lot of your information on hand, which makes them seem credible. The people on the other end of these scam calls make it seem your repayment of the debt is urgent, which is how you can be assured that it is safe to hang up.They also expect the debt owed to the IRS to be paid back in gift cards and want you to read the number over the phone. Sometimes they request you give them your social security number or bank account number. NEVER reveal sensitive financial information over the phone to someone who has called you. Be skeptical and hang up, even if the person on the other side uses threats.
Online
Another way IRS scams can get you is on the internet. Elderly often fall victim to online IRS scams because they are not as comfortable navigating the web. Scammers will often phish for your financial information through emails. NEVER click on a link in an email from someone you do not know. In fact, do not even open an email that looks a little suspicious.
If you feel the message might be legitimate, contact your financial institution using information from another source, not the contact information provided by the message. And, of course, avoid visiting suspicious websites. Look for the padlock next to the URL address bar to confirm the website you are on is secure and safe. Websites that are secured will also have “https” in their URL instead of just “http”.
Learn what to do if you do fall victim to an IRS scam here. With more knowledge, we can work together to stop IRS scams all together!
