In fact, many are tax-related versions of common schemes you've seen before.
IRS imposter scams occur when someone contacts you pretending to work for the IRS. The imposter may contact you by phone, email, postal mail, or even a text message. There are two common types of scams: Tax collection - You receive a phone call or letter, claiming that you owe taxes.
When a tax refund has been intercepted, the debtor will receive a notice from the treasury departments Financial Management Service (FMS) that the interception has occurred. This notice will contain information on the original tax refund amount and how much was offset in the interception.
Signs that You May Be Subject to an IRS Investigation:
All U.S. Treasury checks are printed on watermarked paper. The watermark reads “U.S. TREASURY” and can be seen from both the front and back of the check when held up to a light. The watermark is light and cannot be reproduced by a copier.
The IRS Where's my Refund tool may show that your federal tax refund was offset for a past due obligation. However, the listed balance of your refund may not take into account all offsets your tax return has accrued.
1. Obtain copies of IRS hardship forms: Form 433-A “Collection Information Statement for Wage Earners and Self-Employed Individuals” and Form 433-B, “Collection Information Statement for Businesses.” Both forms can be obtained from the IRS website.
If the refund website indicates there will be an offset to your federal refund and you have already called, you can expect a notice from the IRS that will explain the offset. ... According to the IRS website: "BFS (Bureau of the Fiscal Service) will send you a notice if an offset occurs.
The IRS does check each and every tax return that is filed. If there are any discrepancies, you will be notified through the mail.
You cannot go to jail for making a mistake or filing your tax return incorrectly. However, if your taxes are wrong by design and you intentionally leave off items that should be included, the IRS can look at that action as fraudulent, and a criminal suit can be instituted against you.
IRS employees may call taxpayers to set up appointments or discuss audits but not without first attempting to notify taxpayers by mail. IRS employees conducting criminal investigations are federal law enforcement agents and will never demand money.
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