Taxpayers Targeted in Latest Phishing Scam
Published on by Agnes Spoelker in Construction, Health Care, International Business, Manufacturing, Not-for-Profit, Technology, Wholesale / Distribution
The holiday season can be a wonderful time of the year but it is also a time when there is an increase in telephone-related scams. Tax scams can take on many different forms. Taxpayers need to keep their guard up against sophisticated and aggressive telephone scams. There is currently an aggressive phishing scam where individuals are receiving automated messages and being ordered to call the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Phishing is defined as the activity of defrauding an online account holder of financial information by posing as a legitimate company. In this case, the phone messages indicate that the IRS is filing a lawsuit against the recipient.
If you owe money to the IRS, please remember that the IRS will send you written notification via the US Mail.
The real IRS will never:
- Directly contact you and ask for your personal or financial information by phone, email, text or social media.
- Demand immediate payment by telephone call or call about taxes owed without first mailing an official bill.
- Require that your taxes are paid in a specific way. For example, many fraudsters will propose that you pay with a prepaid debit card or other untraceable money transfer.
Please do not respond to or talk to anyone claiming to be the IRS and asking for personal or financial information over the phone or via email.
If you have any additional questions or concerns about phishing scams or how to best defend yourself against fraudulent activity, please contact our office at 513-241-8313, or have a Barnes Dennig representative contact you by clicking here.
For more information on reporting phishing and online scams, visit the IRS website here.
