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Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Avoid Dirty Little Tricks played by Income Tax Scammers.

By Denise Dunbar

Income Tax season always brings out the most talented, creative and the rudest cooks. That’s why our friends over at the Internal Revenue Service are once again warning us about the “tall tales” phony scammers will try to sell you to get to your money. These scammers will pose as IRS officials and usually demand that you send money to pay a past debt or to pay owed taxes. Some of them may even go as far as promising that they can get you a high refund if you send them money. You can best bet; it’s a trap, so they can get your bank account numbers, your social security number and other valuable information.

Once they get their hands on your hard-earned money, don’t think that’s the worst of it. Often times they sell your social security number to other criminals to enable them to steal your identity! If you get a call from these frauds, be warned, they can sound pretty convincing. They speak with a disturbingly combative tone. They can have bogus IRS badge numbers, and they may have technology to make your caller ID look like the IRS is actually calling.

If someone calls you demanding tax money, hang up immediately. If you need to speak with a legitimate IRS Agent, call 1-800- 829-1040 to discuss payment arrangements. If you want to report a questionable incident, call the IRS at 1-800- 366-3383 or log onto www.tigta.gov. Keep in mind the tips below to avoid being taken.

  1. The IRS will never call you on the phone about taxes and demand you send them money.
  2. The IRS will not threaten to take you to jail without giving you the chance to question the amount you owe.
  3. The IRS will never have a specific way for you to pay them such as Western Union or a Debit Card.
  4. The IRS will never ask for your personal information like credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  5. The IRS will give you a chance and some time to set up payment plans.