Thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams. Scammers use the reg
ular mail, telephone, or email to set up individuals, businesses, payroll and tax professionals.
The IRS
doesn\’t
initiate
contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information.
Note that the IRS does not:
Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.
Demand that you pay taxes without the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. You should also be advised of
your rights as a taxpayer
.
Threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law-enforcement to have you arrested for not paying. The IRS also cannot revoke your driver’s license, business licenses, or immigration status. Threats like these are common tactics scam artists use to trick victims into buying into their schemes.
Here is what the IRS will do:
If an IRS representative visits you, he or she will always provide two forms of official credentials called a pocket commission and a
HSPD-12
card. HSPD-12 is a government-wide standard for secure and reliable forms of identification for federal employees and contractors. You have the right to see these credentials. And if you would like to verify information on the representative’s HSPD-12 card, the representative will provide you with a dedicated IRS telephone number for verifying the information and confirming their identity.
Collection
IRS collection employees may call or come to a home or business unannounced to collect a tax debt. They will not demand that you make an immediate payment to a source other than the U.S. Treasury.
Learn more about the
IRS revenue officers’ collection work
.
The IRS can assign certain cases to private debt collectors but only after giving the taxpayer and his or her representative, if one is appointed, written notice. Private collection agencies will not ask for payment on a prepaid debit card or gift card. Taxpayers can learn about the IRS payment options on
IRS.gov/payments
. Payment by check should be payable to the U.S. Treasury and sent directly to the IRS, not the private collection agency.
Learn more about how to know if it’s really an IRS
Private Debt Collector
.
Beware of Impersonations
Scams take many shapes and forms, such as phone calls, letters and emails. Many IRS impersonators use threats to intimidate and bully people into paying a fabricated tax bill. They may even threaten to arrest or deport their would-be victim if the victim doesn’t comply.
For a comprehensive listing of recent tax scams and consumer alerts, visit
Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts
.
Know Who to Contact
Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report a phone scam. Use their “
IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting
” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.
Report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “
FTC Complaint Assistant
” on FTC.gov. Please add \”IRS Telephone Scam\” in the notes.
Report an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, or an IRS-related component like the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, to the IRS at
phishing@irs.gov
.
For more information on Tax Fraud Visit:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/how-to-know-its-really-the-irs-calling-or-knocking-on-your-door
Address/Location
Gloucester Township Police Department
1261 Chews Landing Rd
Gloucester Township, NJ 08021
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500
