IRS or a scammer? Avoid the mistake thousands make.

Whether or not you owe money from your individual or business tax return, watch out.The IRS warns taxpayers that scammers continue acting more boldly and deviously to separate you from your money. They use fake letterhead, fake caller ID, fake names, and fake badge numbers to convince you they’re an official contact.Don’t be fooled! More than 4,000 victims reported losses exceeding $20 million collectively to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).Scammers frequently use fear tactics to coerce you into complying with their demands. You may not enjoy dealing with the IRS, but don’t fall for the con-artist’s trick. The agency assures us its agents will never:

• Call about taxes owed without first sending you a bill;
• Angrily demand immediate payment of moneys owed;
• Threaten you with local law-enforcement action for non-payment;
• Demand payment without providing an opportunity to question or appeal the amount;
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or
• Require a specific payment method.

Guard against scams and potential identity theft by never providing personal or financial information to strangers calling or on suspicious websites. Don’t follow links to websites sent in suspicious emails.Remember: the IRS website is IRS.gov. Sites ending in .com, .net, or dot-anything-other-than-gov are not official IRS sites.If you received a communication that you owe money to the IRS, call the agency at 800-829-1040. IRS staff can help with a payment issue and you won’t wonder if the person you’re talking with is genuine.If you don’t think you owe money—or you’re sure you don’t—report the incident to TIGTA at 800-366-4484. Also, contact the Federal Trade Commission, providing as much information as possible to help it crack down on these criminal schemes.Have questions about this or other tax or accounting issues? Contact the Patrick & Robinson CPAs team at (904) 396-5400 or Office@CPAsite.com…we’re real and genuine!