IRS Tax Tip 2019-149, October 24, 2019
Taxpayers should be on the lookout for new variations of tax-related scams. In the latest twist on a scam related to Social Security numbers, scammers claim to be able to suspend or cancel the victim¡¯s SSN. It¡¯s yet another attempt by con artists to frighten people into returning ¡®robocall¡¯ voicemails.
Scammers may mention overdue taxes in addition to threatening to cancel the person¡¯s SSN. If taxpayers receive a call threatening to suspend their SSN for an unpaid tax bill, they should just hang up.
Make no mistake¡it¡¯s a scam.
Taxpayers should not give out sensitive information over the phone unless they are positive they know the caller is legitimate. When in doubt ¨Chang up. Here are some telltale signs of this scam. The IRS and its authorized private collection agencies will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, iTunes gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not use these methods for tax payments.
- Ask a taxpayer to make a payment to a person or organization other than the U.S. Treasury.
- Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
- Demand taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
Taxpayers who don¡¯t owe taxes and have no reason to think they do should:
- Report the call to the .
- Report the caller ID and callback number to the IRS by sending it to [email protected]. The taxpayer should write ¡°IRS Phone Scam¡± in the subject line.
- Report the call to the . When reporting it, they should add ¡°IRS Phone Scam¡± in the notes.
Taxpayers who owe tax or think they do should:
- View tax account information online at IRS.gov to see the actual amount owed and review their payment options.
- Call the number on the billing notice
- Call the IRS at 800-829-1040.