Relentless threatening phone calls can sound pretty convincing. Especially when the scammers have their eyes on one thing only: your hard-earned money.
Over the past several years, about 300 people in Colorado alone have fallen victim to IRS scams.
Surely you've heard of them - calls coming from people impersonating IRS employees. They claim you owe back taxes and threaten to arrest you if you don't make an immediate payment by prepaid debit card, iTunes card or wire transfer.
One thing to remember: the IRS is old-fashioned and never call. They send you snail mail if they need to get in touch.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration meanwhile began tracking victims of the scam in fall 2013.
From then to January 1 of this year, the agency says 273 people have been scammed. Collectively, the victims have lost more than $1.2 million.
And it's not just individuals. Denver Police reported several months ago about a fast-food chain getting scammed.
The IRSD says scammers are using stolen information to file fake returns for people using their real bank account information. Then they'll call the victim and say the deposit was made in error and ask for it to be returned.
Let us repeat: the IRS will never - ever, EVER - call you. They contact you by mail first, always. If you get a call claiming to be from the IRS hang up immediately and report it.
