1. Asking for credit or debit card information over the phone or via email
If you owe taxes, the IRS sends a paper bill in the mail before the agency attempts to contact you over the phone. The IRS does not ask for sensitive personal information via phone or email as a way to verify your identity.
2. Threatening to have you immediately arrested
The IRS uses several avenues to recover a debt owed to them. These do not include immediate arrest or deportation. However, this does not mean that you can’t be sent to jail and/or fined if you’re found guilty of tax fraud or evasion.
3. Threatening unannounced home or work visits
In most cases, an individual is notified via mail ahead of time for an in-person visit. However, this can still happen without prior notice. In such cases, a legitimate IRS representative will ask you to make a payment to the U.S. Treasury, even if a third-party debt collector is involved. If the IRS has retained a private agency to collect a tax debt, this information will be made known to you ahead of time.
4. Posing as the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel and requesting personal information
The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel functions as a liaison between taxpayers and the IRS regarding general customer service processes. It does not have access to individual taxpayer information and will never request personal and financial information.
At MWB Tax Solutions, our trained tax consultants can address your tax concerns. We will show you how to avoid the schemes out there. We will also ensure you file on time. Give us a call today or message us.