Today is "World Elder Abuse Awareness Day" and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is joining other federal agencies to warn against scams targeting seniors.
The IRS recently issued a warning about the rising threat of impersonation scams.
These scams are targeting older adults by pretending to be government officials, aiming to steal sensitive personal information and money. By posing as federal agency representatives such as IRS agents, these fraudsters use fear and deceit to exploit their victims.
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said preventing these types of scams requires assistance from many different places. By partnering with other federal agencies, and others in the tax community, they can reach more seniors and other taxpayers to help protect them against these terrible scams.
The IRS has identified a concerning trend where fraudulent actors are increasingly targeting unsuspecting individuals, particularly senior citizens, by masquerading as IRS agents. Victims are pressured into making immediate payments through unorthodox methods such as gift cards or wire transfers under the pretense of resolving fictitious tax liabilities or securing false refunds.
These scammers deploy advance techniques to fabricate a veneer of credibility including the manipulation of caller IDs to appear legitimate. Do not return the call using the number provided by the caller or the one displayed on the caller ID.
If taxpayers are uncertain about the legitimacy of IRS communications, they can contact IRS customer service for verification at 1-(800)-829-1040.
