The IRS issued a consumer alert providing tips for taxpayers to protect themselves from scammers pretending to be the IRS. The callers may demand money or say a refund is due to trick taxpayers into divulging private information. The caller may know quite a lot about the person they contact, and will usually have altered the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. These scams are being seen in every part of the country.

So how do you differentiate the IRS from scammers?

The IRS will never:

• call about taxes owed without first mailing an official notice
• demand that taxes be paid without the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed
• require a specific payment method be used (i.e., a prepaid debit card)
• ask for credit or debit card number over the phone
• threaten to bring in local law enforcement officials to arrest for non-payment.

If you receive a call you should report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at (800) 366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov . See IRS News Release IR-2014-84 for more information.

If you have any questions please contact Holbrook & Manter.  Our professionals are ready to assist you with any questions you may have.