Here it another tax season getting close to the deadline. Everyone has made plans for a good purchase item or maybe delaying because they owe so much.
Either way, we are not expecting anything to take advantage what we generally are accustomed to at this time of year. I am writing this post because no matter how obvious a scheme may be there is always someone who falls prey to them.
So exposure is the way to make the ones prone to a scam aware. That is why I am focusing on this tax scam for 2017.
How this tax scam works
When you are not expecting it, someone will call claiming to be with the IRS. This could kind of catch someone off guard a little bit. They will claim you owe a certain amount of money on your taxes.
They will demand payment on the amount they are after. Now if you are not thinking at the time this might throw you a little bit especially if you know you owe something. The thought of owing the Government can make an honest person not thinking at this point.
This is exactly what the scammer hopes will happen. And remember that most people won’t fall for it but there are the ones who are blind to the lengths people go to pull these capers that sometimes get caught up in it.
This means they have to convince you not to send payment to the IRS but to them as well. Big red flag!
But a scam artist is clever…
They will try to convince you that at this point you need to complete the payment outside of the courthouse. This may sound incredible to some people but there are some who fall for these set ups.
Just like any other scam artist, they will try to discombobulate you with harsh threats such as “if you don’t pay for you taxes you will go to jail” Hoping that this scare tactic will get you to obey their commands.
Incident Reports of This Scam
Jim Camus, who is with the Treasury Department, revealed this fraud in a new PSA (Public Source Announcement)
The Treasury Department has received nearly 900.000 reports of these such scams since October 2013. And there has been at least 5,000 victims who have fell for such scams totaling 26.5 million dollars.
So if you think in your mind you would not have gone for it, there are those who do. And the only way to help that person is to make them aware of it.
Conclusion
Intimidation is the only leverage these scam artists have to get victims. If you can remember that most agencies like the IRS will conduct this kind of business via the mail.
Don’t panic!
So if you encounter this type of scam just hang up on them and don’t let it shake you. This will disengage their attempted scare tactic immediately. Don’t Be Scammed!
I hope this post will help another from being a victim of the clutches of scam artists.
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Yikes! This is scary! My tax return was delayed this year because I moved and changed bank accounts and they “red flagged” my account to make me verify my identity. I was slightly irritated at the process it took to get my return and the added amount of time it was taking to get it. However, now that I see some of the scams that are going on, I now realize a little better why they have to be so diligent and careful when dealing with things like this. This is good to know, and I like being informed because I am one of the people this phone call would have freaked out!!
You and many others. And that is what the scammer wants. He wants it to rattle you to the point that fear takes over your judgment. But if everyone is aware of what they are doing his plan is thwarted right at the start. And what you should do in this case is hang up so it won’t start to play with your mind. I’m glad it informed you of a scam you were not aware of.
I’ve received this phone call and it’s terrifying! They scare you by saying you’ll be arrested and that the only way to avoid it is to pay now over the phone. This is a great post to get out there and circulate, you’re right they thrive by intimidation. As a law abiding as I am it’s still a terrifying phone call to get.
And that is exactly what I try to do. Let everyone know what is out there lurking to take advantage of them. I am glad you shared that with us. Some people may think that this doesn’t happen when in fact it does. Thank you for that and thank you for dropping in with us.
Thanks for bringing this to attention. You are right by exposing scams so that we will all be alert to them. Sometimes I wonder how people can fall to scams, but there are some that are. And this is what makes it profitable to the scammers, that there will be people who fall to them.
And they will never go away. So the only thing to fight them with is awareness and that is my main goal in exposing different scams. I’m like you. Sometimes I say that nobody will fall for that. But unfortunately, there are those who do and probably because they never been scammed before and has no knowledge of a particular scam. Keep checking in or simply sign up to receive this information as I post it. Thanks for visiting.
Hi Ronnie,
Thank you for raising this mate. Although I don’t live in the US, I can’t stand the thought of scum bags ripping off hard working unsuspecting people. To them it is just a numbers game. Call enough people and enough people will become victims.
Thanks again,
Adam.
And I feel the same way. That is why I try to post every scam I run across. Because if one don’t work they jump to the next. And the more I put them on front street the fewer scams they have to try. Maybe this way we can lessen their numbers. thanks for stopping in Adam.