Help CenterYour identity and money can be stolen in a tax-related scam via email (“phishing”), fax, phone, or letters. Some recent examples of identity theft scams are:
- Phone scam. A bogus phone call where you are told you owe the IRS money and threatened that a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Variations include the threat of other law-enforcement agency intervention, deportation, or revocation of licenses. Some scam artists program their computers to display IRS phone numbers on your Caller ID.
- Email phishing scam. A bogus email that appears to be from the IRS or a program closely related to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment system (EFTPS), that attempts to trick you into revealing personal and financial information. The email includes links to bogus websites intended to mirror the official IRS website.
- Tax transcript. The bogus email carries an attachment labeled “Tax Account Transcript” or something similar, and the subject line uses some variation of the phrase “tax transcript.” The attachment may contain a computer virus or malware.
- IRS refunds. A bogus email, claiming to come from the IRS, tells you that you are eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount if you just follow the instructions in the email.
Continue reading: Identity Theft and Your Taxes 2021