JANESVILLE ? It might not make the Internal Revenue Service’s list of top tax scams, but one Gazette reader was on the receiving end of a phone scam that has been reported elsewhere in the country.
The reader said he received a call from the 202 area code, which covers the District of Columbia. Because he was a faithful taxpayer who paid his taxes on time, he was told he was eligible for an $8,400 grant that would be deposited into his bank account if he’d just provide the pertinent information.
The alert reader responded in just the way the IRS suggests.
He hung up.
He knows that the IRS does not ask for such information over the phone. He also knows that while the IRS might assess penalties for late filing, it most certainly does not pay rewards for timely filing.
“I just wanted to let you and others to be aware, especially our older community members,� he said in an email to The Gazette. “What’s really disconcerting is that the number originates in D.C., which might make it easier for them to scam others.�
Each year, the IRS issues its annual “Dirty Dozen� list of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud.
The Dirty Dozen listing, compiled by the IRS each year, lists a variety of common scams taxpayers can encounter at any point during the year. Many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns.
“This tax season, the IRS has stepped up its efforts to protect taxpayers from a wide range of schemes, including moving aggressively to combat identity theft and refund fraud,� said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven T. Miller. “The Dirty Dozen list shows that scams come in many forms during filing season. Don’t let a scam artist steal from you or talk you into doing something you will regret later.�
For this year’s list, visit irs.gov/uac/newsroom/irs
-releases-the-dirty-dozen-tax
-scams-for-2013.