April 3rd, 2024 – The Internal Revenue Service has kicked off the annual “Dirty Dozen” list with a warning for taxpayers to be aware of evolving phishing scams designed to steal sensitive taxpayer information.
The IRS’ annual Dirty Dozen campaign lists 12 scams and schemes that put taxpayers, businesses, and the tax professional community at risk of losing money, personal information, data and more. While the Dirty Dozen is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, the education effort is designed to raise awareness, protect taxpayers, and tax pros from common tax scams and schemes.
“Scammers are relentless in their attempts to obtain sensitive financial and personal information, and impersonating the IRS remains a favorite tactic,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “People can be anxious to get the latest information about their refund or other tax issues, so scammers frequently try using the IRS to trick people. The IRS urges people to be extra cautious about unsolicited messages and avoid clicking any links in an unsolicited email or text if they are uncertain.”
As part of the Dirty Dozen awareness effort regarding tax schemes and unscrupulous tax return preparers, the IRS urges individuals to report those who promote abusive tax practices and tax preparers who intentionally file incorrect returns.
To report a tax scheme or a dishonest tax return preparer individuals should send a completed Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers, (along with any supporting materials) via mail or fax to the IRS Lead Development Center in the Office of Promoter Investigations.
Taxpayers and tax professionals can also submit this information to the IRS Whistleblower Office, where they may be eligible for a reward. For details, refer to the sections on Abusive Tax Schemes and Abusive Tax Return Preparers
More information:
- Reporting Phishing and Online Scams
- Here’s How to Avoid IRS Text Message Scams
- Identity Theft Central
- Federal Communications Commission’s Smartphone Security Checker
- Federal Trade Commission: How to recognize and report spam text messages
By: Traymar Brown
