This article is for all employers using Justworks.
Tax scams tend to increase around tax season, but recently fraudsters are running this scam year-round. Fraudsters will usually initiate contact via telephone or email, and tell individuals they have not paid their taxes. Individuals are instructed to wire the unpaid taxes to a designated account and/or purchase gift cards.
Prevention Tips
- File your taxes ASAP! If someone tries to file a return in your name later, it will be denied as a duplicate.
- Do not put your tax return in an outgoing mail bin. When filing taxes by paper, take them directly to the post office and put them right into a postal worker’s hands. Tax returns are obvious and can easily be snatched.
- The IRS will never call you and demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer.
- The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. The IRS initiates most contact through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service.
- The IRS will never threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law- enforcement to have you arrested for not paying. The IRS also cannot revoke your driver’s license, business licenses or immigration status. Threats like these are common tactics scam artists use to trick victims into buying into their schemes.
For additional information to keep your business safe, visit the IRS Site and Justworks End of Year Filing.
Disclaimer
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.