Scams Are More Convincing Than Ever | Stay Informed
Updated: Jan 3, 2020
Whitley Schlichte
December 12, 2019
Keep your guard up
Scams are a serious issue. Americans lost over $1.48 billion to frauds in 2018 according to the FTC.
Some scammers will claim to be from the IRS or a local governing agency and will insist that you pay them (either by wire transfer or by the purchase of pre-paid gift cards) in order to avoid being arrested for non-payment of taxes owed.
Please keep in mind that the IRS will never call you directly. All correspondence from the IRS will be via mail only.
From IRS.gov:
It’s important to remember that the IRS never:
Calls to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, iTunes gift card or wire transfer.
Asks a taxpayer to make a payment to a person or organization other than the U.S. Treasury.
Threatens to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups saying they can have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
Demands taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
Here are some additional resources to help you stay informed:
If you believe you’ve been scammed or suspect fraudulent activity, please report it to the IRS.
Of course, not all scams will claim to be from the IRS. Please beware of other suspicious phone calls and phishing emails that look convincingly legitimate but can contain malicious links, or in some cases will ask you to enter your personal information, such as your social security number or password, to fix ‘a problem with your account’.
This website from USA.gov provides a list of common scams and suggests ways to guard against them. Some of these include:
Registering your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. If you still receive telemarketing calls after you've registered, the calls are likely scams.
Not giving into the scammers' pressure to take immediate action, including wiring them money or buying pre-paid gift cards.
Declining to provide your sensitive information (SSN, bank account/credit card information).
Avoiding clicking links in emails that ask you to verify your accounts.
We urge you to stay vigilant and mindful of possible scams, no matter how convincing they may seem. Please stay safe!
Questions? Get in touch! contact@purely-solutions.com