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September 21, 2011

Tax Scammers in Person

Teams of people posing as tax service companies knock on church doors.

 by Michelle Dowell


taxscammersinperson.jpg

The most common way tax scammers seem to work is through e-mail. Countless e-mails arrive daily in inboxes claiming a tax refund is available.

Many tax scammers have become less shy recently, according to a recent IRS news release and an Oklahoma news service. They walk through church doors, posing as unfamiliar for-profit tax services.

After teaming up with a church, they charge a fee for their service that includes convincing unsuspecting taxpayers to file an IRS return for tax credits, refunds, or rebates for which they are not entitled. By the time claims on the returns are rejected, the scammers have left town.

The scam has been reported to IRS officials in 33 states, according to the Oklahoma news service. Many of these scams have been in the South and Midwest, according to the IRS.

The IRS writes that these scams may include:

  1. Fictitious claims for refunds or rebates based on excess or withheld Social Security benefits.
  2. Claims that Treasury Form 1080 can be used to transfer funds from the Social Security Administration to the IRS enabling a payout from the IRS.
  3. Offers of free money with no documentation required.
  4. Promises of refunds for "Low Income – No Documents Tax Returns."
  5. Claims for the expired Economic Recovery Credit Program or Recovery Rebate Credit.
  6. Advice on claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit based on exaggerated reports of self-employment income.

If you have questions about a tax credit or program, call the IRS toll-free number at 800-829-1040, go to www.IRS.gov, or visit a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.

Michelle Dowell is the editorial coordinator for the Church Management Team at Christianity Today International.

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Posted by Michelle Dowell on September 21, 2011 8:00 AM

Related Tags: finance, IRS, ministry, money, scam, security, tax, theft

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