With April 15 fast approaching, we’re squarely in the midst of tax season. What would happen if you were approached or saw a flyer about free money from the IRS? Would you go for it? After all, you’ve paid in taxes over the years, right? Why not?
The IRS (irs.gov) recently released what it calls the “Dirty Dozen” for tax scams in 2013. Among those scams is one in which flyers or advertisements for free money from the IRS prompt taxpayers to file a tax return with little or no documentation. Apparently, these flyers have been appearing in community churches around the country. According to the IRS, “These schemes promise refunds to people who have little or no income and normally don’t have a tax filing requirement – and are also often spread by word of mouth as unsuspecting and well-intentioned people tell their friends and relatives.”
Scammers also use the promise of non-existent Social Security refunds or rebates to reel in their victims. And, if being taken in by a someone who gets you to file false tax information isn’t enough, if you do this intentionally, you could also be fined by the IRS.
