I'm Darrin Mish. For 32 years I've practiced federal tax litigation \u2014 routine audits, Tax Court cases, and everything in between. If you're facing an IRS issue, here's what you need to know first.<\/p>\n
Every year, the IRS publishes its list of 12 popular tax scams to enlighten the public about the latest ways scammers try to dupe innocent taxpayers.\u00a0 You might well lose not only money but your reputation as well if you fall prey to a tax scam.\u00a0 In the final analysis, you are responsible for what goes into your tax returns even though it was prepared by someone else.\u00a0 So make sure you hire a qualified tax agent or lawyer to help you submit your tax returns.\u00a0 Here are this year\u2019s \u201cDirty Dozen\u201d.<\/p>\n
This is a perennial tactic used by scammers where they impersonate an IRS officer asking you for your personal financial details.\u00a0 Very often the caller uses a very aggressive tone to get what they want.<\/p>\n
Another recurring method used by scammers is sending you emails (or snail mail) supposedly from the IRS.\u00a0 Remember, the IRS will never send you an email for no reason, so if you do get one do not click on any of the links inside or reply to the email.\u00a0 Instead, you should report it to the IRS immediately by forwarding the email to phishing@irs.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another favorite tactic of scammers is impersonating as a taxpayer and claiming the victim\u2019s tax refunds.\u00a0 This is why it\u2019s a good idea to submit your taxes early so that should a scammer try to impersonate as you, the IRS would flag his tax return because it has already received yours.<\/p>\n\n