July 1, 2016
Tax scammers work year-round; they don’t take the summer off. The IRS urges you to stay vigilant against calls from scammers impersonating the IRS. Here are several tips from the IRS to help you avoid being a victim:
The real IRS will not:
If you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you do:
If you know you owe, or think you may owe taxes call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS employees can help you if you do owe taxes.
IRS Tax Tips provide valuable information throughout the year. IRS.gov offers tax help and info on various topics including common tax scams, taxpayer rights and more.
IRS YouTube Videos:
IRS Podcasts:
March 22, 2016
Although we are located in South Carolina, we prepare tax returns for clients all across the country including the state of New York.
For the past few weeks, the state of New York has been on a bit of a tear locking up rogue tax preparers, as have many other jurisdictions including the IRS. But New York has made a special effort to post the name and image of tax preparers who have been arrested for various scams involving bogus tax returns to the tune of about one a week. (Scroll to the bottom of this article for more details on the arrests).
In light of their recent activities, the state of New York has posted what we think is a pretty good guide to choosing a tax preparer and we would like to share their guide with our readers. Of course, we think Tax On Wheels, LLC is an excellent choice for your tax preparation needs and we will be happy to assist you with your tax return. Simply give us a call at 803 732-4288 and we will take it from there.
Following Recent Statewide Tax Preparer Arrests, NYS Tax Department and the NYS Division of Consumer Protection Issue Alert
Tax Department launches new webpage and checklist for taxpayers who are considering hiring a tax preparer.
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the Division of Consumer Protection today issued a consumer warning to the seven million taxpayers who have yet to file income tax returns.
“In light of the recent arrests of tax preparers across New York State, we’re urging taxpayers to ask the right questions before trusting someone with their private information,” said New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Jerry Boone. “Each year, we receive thousands of tax returns based on stolen identities, some of which are submitted by unethical tax preparers. If you choose to hire a tax preparer, follow these easy steps to ensure that the preparer is honest and qualified.”
“The Division of Consumer Protection strongly urges all New Yorkers to practice due diligence when selecting a tax preparer,” said Acting NYS Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. “Always get the terms and total cost of the service in writing. Avoid any tax preparer who charges a percentage of your tax refund as part of the fee. Most important, if you suspect you’re being defrauded by a tax preparer, report that individual to the Tax Department immediately.”
Before you hire a tax preparer
While millions of New Yorkers prepare their taxes without the services of a paid tax preparer, the Tax Department and Division of Consumer Protection encourage taxpayers who are considering a paid preparer to ask these four questions:
Taxpayers should also ensure that the preparer will:
Taxpayers can also contact the Better Business Bureau to see whether a tax preparer has a history of consumer complaints.
New York is one of only four states to regulate the tax preparer industry. While most tax preparers are honest and provide excellent service to their clients, taxpayers must remain vigilant to protect themselves from individuals who file fraudulent returns or misuse personal information.
New webpage and checklist for taxpayers
To help taxpayers screen potential tax preparers, the Tax Department published a new checklist available at its Tips for hiring a tax preparer webpage. Before hiring a tax preparer, use the checklist as a guideline when visiting or calling prospective preparers.
File a complaint
If you’re aware of a tax preparer who has engaged in illegal or improper conduct, contact the NYS Tax Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility at (518) 530-HELP (option #2) or file a tax preparer complaint online. The Tax Department will review your complaint promptly and, where appropriate, take corrective action, which may include sanctions.
Recent arrests
January 6, 2016
The IRS has issued the following communication and has asked us to share it with our followers.
Due to an error, taxpayers are receiving Identity Protection PIN letters with an incorrect year listed. Taxpayers and tax professionals should be advised the IP PIN listed on the CP 01A Notice dated January 4, 2016 is valid for use on all individual tax returns filed in 2016.
The notice incorrectly indicates the IP PIN issued is to be used for filing the 2014 tax return when the number is actually to be used for the 2015 tax return. The IRS emphasizes the IP PIN listed on the CP 01A notice is valid for the 2015 returns. Taxpayers and their tax professionals should use this PIN number for 2015 tax returns, which the IRS will begin accepting from taxpayers starting Jan. 19, 2016.
The IRS apologizes for the confusion and any inconvenience
FAQ:
When were the CP01A notices mailed?
The notices are all dated January 4, 2016 but were mailed in late December. Taxpayers are receiving these now through mid-January.
What does an IP PIN do?
An IP PIN helps the IRS verify a taxpayer’s identity and accept their electronic or paper tax return. When you have an IP PIN, it prevents someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN.
If a return is e-filed with your SSN and an incorrect or missing IP PIN, our system will reject it until you submit it with the correct IP PIN or you file on paper. If the same conditions occur on a paper filed return, we will delay its processing and any refund you may be due for your protection while we determine if it’s yours.Does this issue affect anything else involving the IP PIN process?
No.
Please feel free to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288 if you have questions or need assistance with any tax related matter.
December 7, 2015
The theft of your identity, especially personal information such as your name, Social Security number, address and children’s names, can be traumatic and frustrating. In this online era, it’s important to always be on guard.
The IRS has teamed up with state revenue departments and the tax industry to make sure you understand the dangers to your personal and financial data. Taxes. Security. Together. Working in partnership with you, we can make a difference.
Here are seven steps you can make part of your routine to protect your tax and financial information:
1. Read your credit card and banking statements carefully and often – watch for even the smallest charge that appears suspicious. (Neither your credit card nor bank – or the IRS – will send you emails asking for sensitive personal and financial information such as asking you to update your account.)
2. Review and respond to all notices and correspondence from the Internal Revenue Service. Warning signs of tax-related identity theft can include IRS notices about tax returns you did not file, income you did not receive or employers you’ve never heard of or where you’ve never worked. 3. Review each of your three credit reports at least once a year. Visit annualcreditreport.com to get your free reports.
4. Review your annual Social Security income statement for excessive income reported. You can sign up for an electronic account at www.SSA.gov.
5. Read your health insurance statements; look for claims you never filed or care you never received.
6. Shred any documents with personal and financial information. Never toss documents with your personally identifiable information, especially your social security number, in the trash.
7. If you receive any routine federal deposit such as Social Security Administrator or Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, you probably receive those deposits electronically. You can use the same direct deposit process for your federal and state tax refund. IRS direct deposit is safe and secure and places your tax refund directly into the financial account of your choice.
To learn additional steps you can take to protect your personal and financial data, visit Taxes. Security. Together. You also can read Publication 4524, Security Awareness for Taxpayers.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
If you need assistance with identity theft issues, including making sure that you have properly taken all the necessary steps to secure your identity, please feel free to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288.
Additional IRS Resources:
IRS YouTube Videos:
IRS Podcasts:
IRS YouTube Video:
Tax Scams: English | Spanish | ASL
WASHINGTON — Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain near the top of the annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for the 2015 filing season, the Internal Revenue Service has announced.
The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent months as scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things. The IRS reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games that arise during any filing season.
“If someone calls unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS with aggressive threats if you don’t pay immediately, it’s a scam artist calling,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “The first IRS contact with taxpayers is usually through the mail. Taxpayers have rights, and this is not how we do business.”
The Dirty Dozen is compiled annually by the IRS and lists a variety of common scams taxpayers may encounter any time during the year. Many of these con games peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns or hire someone to do so. This year for the first time, the IRS will issue the individual Dirty Dozen scams one at a time during the next 12 business days to raise consumer awareness.
Phone scams top the list this year because it has been a persistent and pervasive problem for many taxpayers for many months. Scammers are able to alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS is calling. They use fake names and bogus IRS badge numbers. They often leave “urgent” callback requests. They prey on the most vulnerable people, such as the elderly, newly arrived immigrants and those whose first language is not English. Scammers have been known to impersonate agents from IRS Criminal Investigation as well.
“These criminals try to scare and shock you into providing personal financial information on the spot while you are off guard,” Koskinen said. “Don’t be taken in and don’t engage these people over the phone.”
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has received reports of roughly 290,000 contacts since October 2013 and has become aware of nearly 3,000 victims who have collectively paid over $14 million as a result of the scam, in which individuals make unsolicited calls to taxpayers fraudulently claiming to be IRS officials and demanding that they send them cash via prepaid debit cards.
Protect Yourself
As telephone scams continue across the country, the IRS recently put out a new YouTube video with a renewed warning to taxpayers not to be fooled by imposters posing as tax agency representatives. The new Tax Scams video describes some basic tips to help protect taxpayers from tax scams.
These callers may demand money or may say you have a refund due and try to trick you into sharing private information. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They may know a lot about you.
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:
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
Remember, too, the IRS does not use email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue involving bills or refunds. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.
Additional information about tax scams is available on IRS social media sites, including YouTube http://www.youtube.com/irsvideos and Tumblr http://internalrevenueservice.tumblr.com, where people can search “scam” to find all the scam-related posts.
If you receive any communication from the IRS or state taxing authority, regardless of whether it is a phone call or correspondence, your first step is always to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC. If the caller insists that you take action in the next few minutes, that is your first clue that this is probably a scam. If it is a legitimate contact from the IRS we can help prepare a proper response and also help protect and defend your rights as a taxpayer.
Tax On Wheels, LLC can be reached at 803 732-4288.
Tax scams that use email and phone calls that appear to come from the IRS are common these days. These scams often use the IRS name and logo or fake websites that look real.
Scammers often send an email or call to lure victims to give up their personal and financial information. The crooks then use this information to commit identity theft or steal your money. Some call their victims to demand payment on a pre-paid debit card or by wire transfer. But the IRS will not initiate contact with you to ask for this information by phone or email.
If you get this type of ‘phishing’ email, the IRS offers this advice:
If you get an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS:
Be alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS will not initiate contact with you through social media or text to ask for your personal or financial information.
Please contact us at Tax On Wheels, LLC if you have questions about the legitimacy of IRS emails or telephone calls. You can reach us at 803 732-4288.
November 8, 2013
The IRS is warning the public about a phone scam that targets people across the nation, including recent immigrants. Callers claiming to be from the IRS tell intended victims they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. The scammers threaten those who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver’s license.
The callers who commit this fraud often:
The truth is the IRS usually first contacts people by mail – not by phone – about unpaid taxes. And the IRS won’t ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. The agency also won’t ask for a credit card number over the phone.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment, here’s what to do:
Be alert for phone and email scams that use the IRS name. The IRS will never request personal or financial information by email, texting or any social media. You should forward scam emails to phishing@irs.gov. Don’t open any attachments or click on any links in those emails.
Tax On Wheels, LLC is available to assist you with communication from all taxing authorities. You may contact us at 803 732-4288.
IRS YouTube Video:
Tax Scams: English | Spanish | ASL
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
“This scam has hit taxpayers in nearly every state in the country. We want to educate taxpayers so they can help protect themselves. Rest assured, we do not and will not ask for credit card numbers over the phone, nor request a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer,” says IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel. “If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and threatens police arrest, deportation or license revocation if you don’t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really isn’t the IRS calling.” Werfel noted that the first IRS contact with taxpayers on a tax issue is likely to occur via mail
Other characteristics of this scam include:
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here’s what you should do:
Taxpayers should be aware that there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the e-mail to phishing@irs.gov.
More information on how to report phishing scams involving the IRS is available on the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.
Please feel free to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288 if you have questions or concerns about the legitimacy of a contact from someone claiming to be from the IRS.
Columbia, SC (October 24, 2013) — Starting today, South Carolina taxpayers impacted by last year’s security breach at the SC Department of Revenue are able to enroll for up to one year of identity and credit protection coverage with CSID by visiting www.scidprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743. Enrollment will remain open until October 1, 2014.
“Eligible individuals are encouraged to enroll with this state-provided service to take advantage of the comprehensive array of identity and credit protections provided. CSID has a dedicated team working to ensure an overall successful enrollment process for the taxpayers of South Carolina,” said Department of Revenue Director Bill Blume.
South Carolina taxpayers, their dependents, and businesses who filed an electronic South Carolina tax return between 1998 and 2012 may be eligible for this coverage and are encouraged to enroll with CSID at www.scidprotection.com or by contacting CSID’s South Carolina Identity Protection Hotline at 855-880-2743, open 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Enroll at SCIDprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743
For more information, contact:
CSID
855-880-2743
Helen Murphy
INK Public Relations for CSID
512-382-8988
Learn More and Enroll at SCIDprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743
Columbia, SC (October 15, 2013) — The State of South Carolina and CSID, a leading provider of global, enterprise-level identity protection and fraud detection technologies and solutions, today announced that taxpayers impacted by last years’ SC Department of Revenue security breach can begin enrolling in the state-provided identity protection coverage beginning October 24, 2013. Eligible taxpayers can sign up for the identity protection coverage through www.scidprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743. Enrollment will remain open until October 1, 2014. CSID’s service will end on October 31, 2014, unless the State chooses to renew the contract.
“The goal of the State of South Carolina has been to provide the best in identity and credit protection, and that is what the taxpayers are getting with the comprehensive services of CSID. South Carolina and CSID will work to ensure taxpayers are aware of the state-provided services available, including not only in-state residents, but those residing out of state as well,” said Department of Revenue Director Bill Blume.
South Carolina residents will be provided with ongoing information about enrollment and eligibility through media and public announcements. This will include advertisements in local newspapers and magazines, on radio stations and via local news coverage. CSID will attempt to contact eligible persons living outside of South Carolina via mail.
“We highly encourage eligible South Carolina taxpayers to take advantage of CSID’s identity protection coverage to ensure the integrity of their families’ personal information” said CSID President, Joe Ross. “For any questions about eligibility or enrollment, citizens should keep an eye on local media and news coverage. We will share information through those venues and at www.scidprotection.com.”
Until CSID enrollment is open, taxpayers are encouraged to visit www.scidprotection.com for more information about the services provided, or contact CSID now at 855-880-2743 for more information and to leave a number for call back when enrollment becomes available.
For more information, contact:
CSID
855-880-2743
Helen Murphy
INK Public Relations for CSID
512-382-8988