BRITTANY. WELL, THE IRS SAYS TAX SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE EVERY YEAR. BUT THIS SEASON, INVESTIGATORS SAY AI IS MAKING THOSE SCAMS MORE CONVINCING AND HARDER TO SPOT. TAX SEASON MEANS REFUNDS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, BUT IT ALSO MEANS OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIMINALS. WE SPOKE WITH IRS SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE THOMAS DIMEO ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF TAX FRAUD. TAX FRAUD IS INTENTIONALLY FILING A FALSE TAX RETURN THAT COULD BE EITHER FILING FALSE DEDUCTIONS, FALSE CREDITS, FALSE DEPENDENTS. DIMEO SAYS IDENTITY THEFT TIED TO TAX RETURNS IS ALSO A PROBLEM. SCAMMERS STILL PERSONAL INFORMATION FILE A RETURN IN SOMEONE ELSE’S NAME AND TAKE THE REFUND, HE SAYS. IT OFTEN STARTS WITH AN ONLINE LINK THAT LOOKS LEGITIMATE WITH THE INTERNET AND SPOOFING AND FALSE EMAILS THAT HAVE YOU CLICK ON CERTAIN THINGS. THAT CREATES A VERY LARGE PROBLEM. INVESTIGATORS SAY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS MAKING THESE SCAMS HARDER TO SPOT. THEY CREATE PROBLEMS FOR REGULAR TAXPAYERS TO HAVE THE SENSE OF URGENCY TO FINALLY GET THEIR REFUND. ANOTHER NEW TREND AGENTS ARE SEEING THIS YEAR TAX MISINFORMATION SPREADING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IF YOU DO RECEIVE EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES OR PHONE CALLS, TAKE A SECOND TO THINK ABOUT IT. DO NOT SUPPLY THEM INFORMATION. AND IF SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO PAY USING GIFT CARDS, CRYPTOCURRENCY OR PREPAID DEBIT CARDS, IRIS DOES NOT ACCEPT THOSE. THIS IS A SCAM, AND IF YOU RECEIVE A THREATENING PHONE CALL DEMANDING PAYMENT, THAT’S A SCAM. IRS DOES NOT OPERATE THAT WAY. IRS ALWAYS CORRESPONDS WITH OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD FROM THE IRS VIA THE MAIL TO VERIFY A LEGITIMATE TAX PREPARER, GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE STORY. THERE’S AN IRS LINK WHERE YOU CAN CHECK FOR VETTE
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Tax season means refunds for millions of Americans, but it also means an opportunity for criminals.Sister station WCVB spoke with Thomas Demeo, IRS Special Agent in Charge for the Boston Field Office, about some of the most common types of tax fraud.”Tax fraud is intentionally filing a false tax return,” Demeo said. “That could be either filing false deductions, false credits, false dependents. It could also be unreported income or not reporting your foreign income.”Demeo said identity theft tied to tax returns is also a problem.He said scammers steal personal information and then file a return in someone else’s name and take the refund. According to Demeo, the scam often starts with an online link that looks legitimate.”With the internet and spoofing and false emails, impersonating — there’s different websites that have you click on certain things that create a very large problem,” Demeo said. Investigators say artificial intelligence is making these scams harder to spot.”Unfortunately, with AI and the power of it now, impersonating not only the IRS, impersonating return preparers, and other websites, they create problems for regular taxpayers to have the sense of urgency to get their refund, they fall through these traps and click on various links that eventually steals their personal information,” Demeo said.Another new trend agents say they are seeing this year is tax misinformation spreading on social media.Demeo said social media posts are promising bigger refunds, faster refunds, or special tax credits.How can you protect yourself? “If you do receive emails, text messages or phone calls, take a second to think about it, pause,” Demeo said. “There will be a sense of urgency in most all these emails. Take a second, read what they’re asking for. Do not supply them information. If you’re not sure if a return preparer is sending you an email, contact the return preparer. Do not send documents or hit links. If they’re asking for currency, cash or payment, do not send any gift cards, do not send any cryptocurrency or prepaid debit cards. The IRS does not accept those. This is a scam.”The special agent also said, “If you receive a threatening phone call demanding payment,” it is a scam, because the “IRS always corresponds with official letterhead from the IRS via the mail.”Here’s a link to the IRS website where you can verify a legitimate tax preparer.
Tax season means refunds for millions of Americans, but it also means an opportunity for criminals.
Sister station WCVB spoke with Thomas Demeo, IRS Special Agent in Charge for the Boston Field Office, about some of the most common types of tax fraud.
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“Tax fraud is intentionally filing a false tax return,” Demeo said. “That could be either filing false deductions, false credits, false dependents. It could also be unreported income or not reporting your foreign income.”
Demeo said identity theft tied to tax returns is also a problem.
He said scammers steal personal information and then file a return in someone else’s name and take the refund.
According to Demeo, the scam often starts with an online link that looks legitimate.
“With the internet and spoofing and false emails, impersonating — there’s different websites that have you click on certain things that create a very large problem,” Demeo said.
Investigators say artificial intelligence is making these scams harder to spot.
“Unfortunately, with AI and the power of it now, impersonating not only the IRS, impersonating return preparers, and other websites, they create problems for regular taxpayers to have the sense of urgency to get their refund, they fall through these traps and click on various links that eventually steals their personal information,” Demeo said.
Another new trend agents say they are seeing this year is tax misinformation spreading on social media.
Demeo said social media posts are promising bigger refunds, faster refunds, or special tax credits.
How can you protect yourself?
“If you do receive emails, text messages or phone calls, take a second to think about it, pause,” Demeo said. “There will be a sense of urgency in most all these emails. Take a second, read what they’re asking for. Do not supply them information. If you’re not sure if a return preparer is sending you an email, contact the return preparer. Do not send documents or hit links. If they’re asking for currency, cash or payment, do not send any gift cards, do not send any cryptocurrency or prepaid debit cards. The IRS does not accept those. This is a scam.”
The special agent also said, “If you receive a threatening phone call demanding payment,” it is a scam, because the “IRS always corresponds with official letterhead from the IRS via the mail.”
Here’s a link to the IRS website where you can verify a legitimate tax preparer.
