As time moves on, scammers are aware they can’t always rely on the same tactics to get ahold of the information they want. Their goal is to try and catch people off guard, and to do that some of their approaches must change. A couple of these methods are:
Phishing:
Official looking emails are sent to trick taxpayers into thinking they are official communications from the IRS or others in the tax industry, such as the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). These schemes can ask their potential victims a wide range of topics such as information relating to refunds, filing status, confirming personal information, ordering transcripts, and verifying PIN information. When the links are clicked on, the person is taken to sites that are designed to appear like an official website. These sites ask for their personal information. Not only will the victim’s information be stolen, but these sites also may carry malware. A variation of this scheme is sent via text message.
The IRS won’t send emails or texts to contact taxpayers about tax issues. If you’re questioning whether or not it was sent by the IRS or another organization, examine the link before clicking on it.
False CP2000 Notice Related to the Affordable Care Act:
Scammers are taking advantage of the confusion about Obamacare by sending out these false notices. These fake documents are included in an email attachment. In addition to the “payment” link in the email, the fake CP2000 includes a payment request that the taxpayer must mail a check made out to “I.R.S” to the “Austin Processing Center.” The actual form is not a bill and only informs taxpayers of the proposed adjustments the IRS wants to make. Also, those who want to see if their notice is legitimate, they can visit: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-cp2000-notice