Ingenious Scam Targets Taxpayers
Article Highlights:
- Scammers Change Tactics
- Fake IRS Mail Notices
- Have Your Tax Preparer Review Notice
Crooks have tried all sorts of e-mails scams, but almost everyone has figured out that the IRS does not send out notices by e-mail. So crooks have changed their tactics. Now, there are reports of taxpayers receiving by mail fake notices requiring immediate payment to a PO Box. The PO Boxes are located in cities where the IRS has service centers, but of course are not IRS PO Box addresses.
These scammers have duplicated the look of official IRS mail notices, which to the untrained eye would lead one to believe a notice was really from the IRS.
So be extremely cautious of any notice you may have received from the IRS. If a notice is demanding immediate payment and there has not been any prior contact by the IRS over the issue, then the notice is probably from a scammer. Reports indicate the initial letters were numbered CP-2000.
Here is a sample fake IRS CP-2000 supplied by Iowa State University.
https://www.calt.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/files-page/SCAMletter.pdf