What began as a nuisance has now grown into a full-fledged epidemic.  Identity theft is so prevalent that extraordinary measures are now being taken by attorneys, accountants, tax agencies, software companies and many other firms to safeguard any and all information having to do with a person’s or a firm’s identity.

If you owe taxes to the IRS, the agency will send a letter via the U.S. Postal system.  The letter will tell you everything you need to know in order to effectively deal with your situation.  There will be no threatening calls or demands for money.  If you get a call demanding money or asking for personal information, hang up.

One of the latest scams targets students and parents during this back-to-school season.  The scammer demands payments for non-existent taxes, such as the “Federal Student Tax.”  This scam usually demands that students wire money immediately to pay this phony tax.  If the person does not comply, the scammer becomes aggressive and threatens to report the student to the police to be arrested.

The IRS Will Never:

• Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer.
• Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
• Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

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If you get a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:

• Do not give out any information.  Hang up immediately.
• Report the incident to phishing@irs.gov.

You may also:

• Contact TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration) to report the call.  Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page or call 800-366-4484.
• Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission.  Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov.  Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

If you think you might owe taxes, call our office or the IRS at 800-829-1040.

What We Are Doing to Protect Your Information:

• The office is secured by an alarm and monitored 24 hours a day by a security company.
• All files are securely locked.
• All computers and software have several layers of protection.

What the IRS Is Doing to Protect Your Information:

• Limiting direct deposits to 3 refunds in any single account.
• Delaying refunds in excess of $10,000 in order to verify the source of the funds and the identity of the person claiming the refund.
• Added identity theft markers and issued Identity Protection PINs to taxpayers whose accounts have been compromised.
• Changed the W-2 filing date for employers to January 31st instead of February 28th in an effort to curtail fraudulent refunds being sent to early filers.

What the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) Is Doing to Protect Your Information:

• Instituted a 10-day waiting period for third parties requesting tax information on taxpayers.
• Notifying taxpayers whenever a third party asks for tax information on their account.
• Instituted an Identity Theft Affidavit (FTB Form 3552) that is available on the FTB web site, www.ftb.ca.gov and can be completed in just a few minutes.
• Established an Identity Theft Department which is staffed by identity theft specialists who can be reached by calling 916/845-7088.