Watch Out for These Common Tax Scams in 2016
Besides having to deal with the struggle of searching for all those receipts you wanted to use to claim as deductions on your tax return, there could be harsher issues to deal with during the daunting tax season; being charged with tax fraud. But wait. You filed in the required time frame given, and you were accurate with everything you reported down to the dollar. So why are you now having to hire a tax attorney to investigate a case when there was no “case” to begin with?
Tax lawyers in New York have seen it more often than they would like, however, victims of fraudulent filed tax returns, who are not actually guilty of committing the crime, may find there is a legitimate reason why the IRS is targeting them. Sometimes, criminals manage to swindle their way into a tax payer’s life, get what they need, and then get out before being caught. It is only until the IRS identifies your social security number being filed several times that you are notified that something is wrong.
ABC News shared an insightful video on the new ways in which scam artists have managed to get a hold of citizens’ money during the tax season. Below are some ways these con artists are working their way into your life leading you to believe they are the IRS when in reality, they are criminals waiting for someone to put their guard down, and give them the information they want.
- Phone Calls- The video provided by ABC News depicted phone calls people are receiving. The so called “IRS agents” are calling individual’s homes stating they owe money from previous tax returns and should they not pay it, they will be going to jail immediately. While some are wiser and do not fall victim to these scams, others fear they truly are going to be locked away if they do not pay up. One woman reportedly wired $10,000 for her claimed “unpaid taxes,” which was later identified as a scam.
- Social Security Numbers- This number is your ticket to nearly everything you want in life. This is how the government identifies you, therefore guard it with your life. Be mindful of who you are providing your personal information to, and should you believe an employee at a local business may be giving out your information to someone else, be sure to report it to the local authorities.
Tax legal representatives do not want any individuals to fall victim to a tax scam, resulting with the blame of fraud falling on your shoulders. Take precaution this tax season and ensure your tax preparer is legitimate, as well as be on alert and on the lookout for any tax scam artists trying to take hold of money you may not even be obligated to pay to the IRS.
If you have already fallen victim and are being accused of tax fraud, one of our New York tax attorneys are ready to begin this tax season off the right way, freeing you from these accusations and/or charges.
