IRS phone scam warning

Description

Abstract: The IRS has issued a warning about a pervasive phone scam. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) called it the largest scam of its kind. In it, the thief poses as an IRS agent and makes an unsolicited call to the target, telling the victim that he or she owes taxes to the IRS. The caller demands that the victim pay the money immediately with a preloaded debit card or wire transfer, and often threatens the victim with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license. This article explains tactics that these scammers use and tactics the IRS does not use, and explains what to do in response to such a call.