PAY YOUR TAXES OR GO TO JAIL!

PAY YOUR TAXES OR GO TO JAIL

Beware of the Pay Your Taxes or Go To Jail Scam!

The tax filing deadline may be well behind us, but that hasn’t slowed the IRS Scammers!  Robo-caller technology allows scammers to reach tens of thousands of potential victims effortlessly.  Beware of the threats and intimidation methods used to convince you to pay up.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

A scammer will call you claiming to be with the IRS or Treasury Department.  They will claim that you have an outstanding balance due and that you must make a payment immediately or you will face legal action which may include arrest or deportation.  These scammers have a lot of practice with making the calls, they can be very convincing, and they may know a lot of personal information about you.  Their one and only goal is to get you to provide payment information over the phone.  Don’t be fooled!

HERE’S HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF:

  • If you receive one of these calls, immediately hang up and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484 or at tigta.gov.
  • DO NOT provide any bank account information, credit card information, or other personal or financial information to a person or company that you do not know.
  • Be familiar with the way the IRS communications. According to irs.gov, there are five things they will NEVER do:
    1. Call to demand immediate payment or even call about taxes owed without first having mailed a bill.
    2. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
    3. Require you to use a specific payment method for taxes.
    4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
    5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
  • It’s also important to know that the IRS communicates via U.S. mail. Any email claiming to be from the IRS is not legitimate.

WHAT TO DO IF IT’S HAPPENED TO YOU:

If you believe you’ve been a victim of a tax scam visit, https://www.azag.gov/complaints/consumer  or contact the Attorney General’s Office (Phoenix 602.542.5763 / Tucson 520.628.6648 / outside Phoenix or Tucson metro areas 800.352.8431).