Tax tips: IRS phone scam warning

Taxes this year are due April 17th and in order to get you prepared, every week we will be giving you tips on how to get prepared.

Today we are focusing on IRS tax scams. There are a number of different scams out there, but the type of scams the IRS gets the most reports on are the ones that take place right over the phone. A lot of people think these scammers are going after the elderly, but people of all ages and economic backgrounds are falling victim to these scams everyday. Here’s what you need to know.

“This IRS impersonation scheme has been going on since 2013. Almost 64 million dollars has been lost nationwide. The numbers continue to grow unfortunately. So we have to keep going out there and beat the drum and tell people that we don’t call people up and demand money over the phone. It always starts with a letter and we’re not demanding money. It’s not high pressure or anything like that,” said Brian Watson with the IRS.

Watson also adds that the IRS doesn’t text or send emails. They will always contact you by letter and if you feel like you are being scammed make sure to take notes on all the info the scammers are asking of you and report it immediately to not just your local authorities, but to IRS.gov or call them at 1-800-829-1040