Tax fraud scams are showing up in various parts of the country, according to an article called IRS issues tax scam warnings – Part 1. This article, and they promise a second, describes potential problems with what they call “The Dirty Dozen.”

The first mentioned is Telephone Excise Tax Refund Abuses. According to the article, most people can expect only between a $30-$60 deductions without complete receipts.

Next on the list is Abusive Roth IRAs. Apparently some scammers are urging people to contribute more than the allowable amount by shifting undervalued property into their Roth IRAs.

There are also warnings against falling for Phisihing scams – don’t open any email that claims it’s from any financial institution, including yours. In fact, delete any email that isn’t from someone or some company you know.

And know that the IRS does NOT use email to contact taxpayers.

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you have the slightest suspicion, call the IRS or your local AARP office or your bank or your tax preparer. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Labels: irs, seniors, tax fraud