|
 In the last several months, IRS-CI has seen a
variety of Economic Impact Payment (EIP) scams and other financial
schemes designed to steal money and personal information from
taxpayers. Criminals are taking advantage of the second round of
Economic Impact Payments – as well as the approaching filing season
– to trick honest taxpayers out of their hard-earned money.
“Criminals will look for any opportunity to take what they are not
entitled to and this is no exception,” said Acting Special Agent in
Charge Tamera Cantu, of IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field
Office. “This payment is meant to help those that are struggling to
get by as a result of the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
Be wary of any phone calls, emails, or text messages asking for your
personal information or offering a deal that seems too good to be
true,” said Cantu.
Some common COVID-19 scams include:
· Text messages asking taxpayers to disclose bank account
information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact
Payments.
· Phishing schemes using email, letters and social media messages
with key words such as “Coronavirus,” “COVID-19,” and “stimulus” in
varying ways. These communications are blasted to large numbers of
people and aim to access personally identifying information and
financial account information (including account numbers and
passwords).
· The organized and unofficial sale of fake at-home COVID-19 test
kits (as well as offers to sell fake cures, vaccines, pills, and
professional medical advice regarding unproven COVID-19 treatments).
· Fake donation requests for individuals, groups and areas
heavily affected by the
disease.
· Bogus opportunities to invest in companies developing
COVID-19 vaccines while promising that the “company” will
dramatically increase in value as a result.
[to top of second column] |
Although criminals are constantly changing their
tactics, taxpayers can help protect themselves by acting as the
first line of defense. The best way to avoid falling victim to a
scam is knowing how the IRS communicates with taxpayers. The IRS
does not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does not call
people with threats of jail or lawsuits, nor does it demand tax
payments on gift cards.
IRS-CI continues investigating hundreds of COVID-19-related cases
with law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad and educating
taxpayers about scams.
COVID-19 scams should be reported to the National Center for
Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submitted through
the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating
agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division
dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation and
prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made
disasters and other emergencies.
Taxpayers can also report fraud or theft of their Economic Impact
Payments to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Reports can be made online at TIPS.TIGTA.GOV.
Taxpayers who receive unsolicited emails or social media attempts to
gather information that appear to be from either the IRS or an
organization closely linked to the IRS, should forward the message
to phishing@irs.gov. Taxpayers are encouraged not to engage
potential scammers online or on the phone.
To learn more about COVID-19 scams and other financial schemes visit
IRS.gov. Official IRS information about COVID-19 and Economic Impact
Payments can be found on the Coronavirus Tax Relief page, which is
updated frequently.
[Genevieve V. Billia, MPS
Public Affairs Officer
IRS Criminal Investigation]
 |
