Tax season is universally stressful, and the escalating pressure and uncertainty can leave you wondering if you’ll owe money to the IRS. Moreover, the evolving landscape of potential threats adds to the anxiety. In recent years, tax scams have proliferated, falling into four main categories. One of these scams can jeopardize your financial well-being, potentially leaving you indebted to the IRS for thousands of dollars if you’re unlucky. Here are four tax scam risks you should be vigilant about.
Note: If you’ve become a victim of a tax scam, and the IRS is claiming you owe $10,000 or more, don’t hesitate to contact Back Tax Expert for a free confidential consultation.
#1. Impersonation of IRS Agents
As tax season approaches, fake IRS agents emerge, bombarding your email inbox with menacing messages and sending misleading texts to your smartphone. These impersonators might even dial your landline or mobile, intensifying their threats. From warnings of imminent arrest for unpaid back taxes to employing aggressive tactics to coerce payment, these impostors can inflict substantial financial harm.
To stay protected, remember that the genuine IRS never initiates contact via email, text, or phone calls. If there’s a tax issue, the IRS communicates through traditional mail. Keep a close eye on your mailbox and disregard any other forms of communication.
#2. Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are a perennial threat, but they surge in frequency during tax season. Cybercriminals are aware that taxpayers may let their guard down when confronted with a sufficiently alarming subject line.
Exercising caution with unsolicited emails is always advisable, but it’s even more crucial as tax season approaches. Investigate such messages meticulously, and never click on embedded links that could harbor malware and other hazards.
#3. Fraudulent Tax Filing
If you delay filing your taxes, cybercriminals might do it on your behalf. Incidents of fraudulent filing have risen, heightening the risk of becoming a victim.
These fraudulent filers acquire Social Security numbers and other personal data on the dark web. With this information, they file counterfeit tax returns, claiming unwarranted refunds and diverting them into their accounts instead of yours. To guard against this threat, file your tax return promptly and bolster your online personal information security.
#4. Unscrupulous Tax Preparers
Occasionally, those you hire to prepare your taxes are the perpetrators of scams. Unlicensed and unethical tax preparers harvest data from their clients, maintaining databases of Social Security numbers and other crucial details for future illicit activities.
If you entrust your taxes to a deceitful preparer, you might face more than just identity theft. These shady tax preparers may engage in fraud by inventing deductions, asserting fictitious dependents, and securing substantial tax refunds to which you’re not legitimately entitled. When the IRS detects the fraud, the preparer vanishes, leaving you responsible for penalties, interest, and the harrowing experience of an IRS audit.
Filing taxes is inherently stressful, but falling prey to a scam can compound your IRS-related woes. Cybercriminals perceive tax filing season as a prime opportunity, and they’re prepared to exploit it for their illicit gain.
To safeguard your finances, take a proactive approach to cybersecurity. Understanding the risks is the initial crucial step. Keep a vigilant watch over your personal information at all times.
If you’re grappling with tax issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to our tax resolution firm. We’ll gladly arrange a free and confidential consultation to thoroughly elucidate your options and assist you in permanently resolving your tax predicament. https://backtaxexpert.com/ or 703-847-0757 ext. 101