Video: Columbus Accountant Tells Taxpayers How To Not Become A Scam Victim

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-Filing taxes is already stressful enough. Now, there’s one more thing taxpayers have to worry about.

The U.S. Treasury says thousands of Americans have been swindled out of millions of dollars by people posing as the IRS over the phone.

While Americans are enjoying new tax cuts, they’re also becoming victims to a nation wide scam.

The U.S. Treasury says more than 20,000 complaints have been filed by taxpayers who say scammers are demanding payment while posing as the IRS.

Columbus accountant, Elaine Evans says the IRS will never contact you by phone or email.

“They already have all your personal information and they would not be contacting you. Unless you initiate the call to the IRS then they will ask your personal information,” says Elaine Evans.

Investigators believe it’s the largest tax scam in history. crooks have even gone as far as threatening taxpayers with jail time and deportation if the payments aren’t made immediately.

“People are trying to make easy money and it’s just another way to scam people so it’s just not going to happen from the IRS. They are not going to call you,” says Evans.

As technology becomes more advanced, Evans wants to warn victims that scammers are no longer in our backyard.

“We find that these scammers can come from anywhere in the world now. We’re becoming a very globalized economy and they have access to a lot of information in other countries so you may not know where that person is that is calling you,” says Evans.

To ensure your personal information stays safe, Evans has a few tips.

“Never give out your social security number. Never give out your personal information to them over the phone,” says Evans.

So if you find yourself on the other end of the IRS phone scam, hang up. Then call and report the incident.

Similar scams have been arriving through taxpayer’s email and even in text messages.

 

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