Don’t Fall for the “Federal Student Tax” Scam
You might think that the end of tax season will keep IRS scammers at bay , but no, they are still going strong and in their latest trick they are trying to trick students into paying “federal student tax.” There is no such thing.
The IRS warned taxpayers of fraud in a recent press release, writing:
In this newest variation, they try to convince people to transfer money to a fraudster immediately. If the victim doesn’t fall fast enough for this bogus “federal student tax,” the fraudster threatens to report the student to the police.
“These scams and schemes continue to develop across the country and are now trying to defraud students,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Taxpayers must remain vigilant and not fall prey to these aggressive calls for immediate payment of the allegedly owed tax.”
In addition to student tax scams, there are a few other tactics to watch out for:
- Pay taxes immediately with iTunes Gift Card.
- Request for Information of W-2 Employees in Payroll Departments ( IR-2016-34 )
- “Checking” the information in the tax return by telephone ( IR-2016-40 )
- Emails purporting to be from the tax filing industry ( IR-2016-28 )
As the IRS points out, they will never call and demand payment over the phone. If they call you about paying taxes, you will first receive an invoice in the mail. If you receive one of these calls, the IRS invites you to report it to the Inspector General of the Treasury for Tax Administration ( TIGTA ). They have an IRS web page for reporting impersonation fraud , or you can call them at 800-366-4484.
IRS Warns of Recent Developments in Fictitious “Federal Student Tax” Fraud | IRS.gov