Taxes 2015: How to Spot and Avoid Tax Scams
Avoid being scammed by people claiming to be the IRS and other tax scams.
— -- Tax Day is around the corner, but that doesn't mean it will be the end of tax-related scams. There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure you don't get ripped off.
First, you should know that the IRS will never call you for their first point of contact.
"The IRS never, never, never telephones you. They never send you email either," Richard Gartland, senior tax advisor with H&R Block, said. Instead, they will typically send you a letter.
In a typical tax-phishing scam, someone will try to pose as an IRS agent and demand payment immediately.
"They threaten them with arrest or going to court or in the case of immigrants they threaten to deport them if they don't pay money immediately," Stephanie Zimmerman, ABC News' The Fixer, said.
One other tip: never sign a blank tax form for someone else to fill out, and know where your tax preparer will be after April 15, in case the IRS has questions.