scam - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Beware of Fake Charity Scams Relating to Hurricane Harvey

WASHINGTON ― The Internal Revenue Service today issued a warning about possible fake charity scams emerging due to Hurricane Harvey and encouraged taxpayers to seek out recognized charitable groups for their donations.

While there has been an enormous wave of support across the country for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, people should be aware of criminals who look to take advantage of this generosity by impersonating charities to get money or private information from well-meaning taxpayers. Such fraudulent schemes may involve contact by telephone, social media, e-mail or in-person solicitations.

Criminals often send emails that steer recipients to bogus websites that appear to be affiliated with legitimate charitable causes. These sites frequently mimic the sites of, or use names similar to, legitimate charities, or claim to be affiliated with legitimate charities in order to persuade people to send money or provide personal financial information that can be used to steal identities or financial resources.

IRS.gov has the tools people need to quickly and easily check the status of charitable organizations.

The IRS cautions people wishing to make disaster-related charitable donations to avoid scam artists by following these tips:

Be sure to donate to recognized charities.
Be wary […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:54+00:00August 31st, 2017|irs|0 Comments

Don’t Fall for the IRS Scams Out There

Scammers, claiming to be IRS agents, threatening arrest and jail time if you don’t pay them immediately for overdue “balances” are on the rise. If you haven’t received a call yourself, chances are you will at some point or you know someone who has. and unfortunately, these scams will probably continue and increase over time. Now, it might be daunting to receive a phone call from John Smith at the IRS office, claiming the cops are on your way to your house to arrest you if you don’t make an immediate payment over the phone to them, but rest easy knowing that a) the IRS isn’t going to call you (they are old school), you’ll get a letter in the mail or maybe a fax, and b) they aren’t going to send you an email demanding payment (see https://www.irs.gov/uac/irs-and-security-summit-partners-warn-of-fake-tax-bill-emails ).

To read an interesting story about one person, who worked his way through the cycle of the IRS phone scams to get answers: http://www.vox.com/first-person/2016/10/18/13276464/irs-scam-phone-cartoon

See what the IRS has to say on the continuing issue of phone and email scams:

https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/phone-scams-continue-to-be-a-serious-threat-remain-on-irs-dirty-dozen-list-of-tax-scams-for-the-2016-filing-season

Stay vigilant and if you ever have questions about an email or phone call you’ve received, feel free […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:02+00:00November 15th, 2016|irs|0 Comments

Beware of Fake IRS Calls and Emails

Recently there have been an influx of calls and emails to citizens of Sonoma County from people claiming to be from the IRS. This is a known scam and is an ongoing issue. Here are some tips from the IRS website on how to identify a fake call from the IRS and what to do:

“The IRS reminds people that they can know pretty easily when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam. The IRS will never:

1. Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
2. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
3. Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

If you get a phone call […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:15+00:00February 23rd, 2016|irs|0 Comments

Beware: IRS Scams in Full Swing

Does the above email look familiar? Hope not, because what might look like a legit email from the IRS is nothing more than another phishing attempt by people looking to collect personal information, credit cards and more. The emails contain what may appear to be an IRS email address, along with their logo (easily found online), but the fact is, you will never receive an email like this. The IRS isn’t in the business of sending emails. In the past, some people have also received phone calls from “the IRS” saying they owe back taxes and if they don’t provide a credit card or wire transfer, the police will be called to seize property. These fraudulent “IRS agents” tend to have heavy accents, blocked numbers and attempt to instill fear in those they speak to, in exchange for credit cards, bank account numbers and other information. Once again, that isn’t how the IRS operates. And should you ever receive an email or a call like that, disregard. If you are convinced it’s legit, call your Linkenheimer CPA and we will work with you to resolve any confusion.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:32+00:00February 17th, 2015|fraud, irs|0 Comments