Now that tax season is officially upon us, we are also now entering the season of phony IRS telephone call scams. The IRS reminds taxpayers that it will not:

  • call you to demand immediate payment
  • call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail;
  • demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe;
  • require that you pay your taxes a certain way, for instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card;
  • ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone;
  • threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.

While anyone can be a potential victim, scammers often target seniors who, as a group, may be more likely to rely on a landline phone. Therefore, remind your friends, family and neighbors that the tax man will not cometh or calleth ere he maileth.

Check out our series, Privacy Perils, to learn what steps you can take to guard your personal and company data. For more information about this topic and other cyber security concerns, please contact a member of our Privacy & Data Security team.