It’s tax time! If you’re in the midst of gathering up your receipts and getting your taxes done, you’re not alone. Here at our Fort Mill, SC tax preparation service, we’re busy working with people to organize and file their returns. Unfortunately, there are people out there who are trying to take advantage of the hard working people we’re trying to help. These IRS scams made big news last fall when nine overseas call centers were busted. Here are four tips to help you avoid IRS scams at any time of the year.
- The IRS won’t call to tell you you owe money. As with many other government agencies, the IRS mails statements. If you owe taxes, you’ll get a bill in the mail—not a phone call.
- The IRS won’t demand immediate payment in a certain way. Scammers often request that their victims pay with a prepaid debit card.
- The IRS won’t ask for your credit card number over the phone. You should never give out this type of information to an unsolicited caller, no matter where they say they’re calling from.
- The IRS doesn’t threaten people with law enforcement. If someone calls to tell you that you owe taxes and you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay, it’s a scam.
If you receive one of these phone calls, the safest thing to do is to hang up the phone. You can report the call to two agencies: the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.
There’s no foolproof way to avoid being contacted by one of these scammers. However, working with a professional tax preparation service like Blackwell’s Tax Service is one way to protect yourself. We take the time to educate every client who walks through our doors. You’ll know exactly what you owe and what you don’t. You’ll also know just who to call if you have a question about your taxes. Call today to schedule your appointment. Our hometown tax service is just a short drive from Rock Hill and anywhere in York County.