Tax Time Phone Scams on the Rise

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Intuit TurboTax Offers Tips to Protect Yourself

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tax season is prime time for scammers to prey on innocent taxpayers. Understanding these scams and what you can do will help protect you and your money.

Phone scams are emerging as one of the most persistent and prevalent problems for taxpayers. At a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said callers are impersonating Internal Revenue Service employees and frightening unsuspecting consumers by threatening arrests or repeal of their driver’s license unless they receive immediate payment. This year, IRS impersonators have become the largest and most pervasive scam, costing Americans $15.5 million.

TurboTax®, from Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq:INTU) offers taxpayers the following advice to protect themselves from tax time scams, and reminds Americans that the IRS will never:

  • Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
  • Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
  • Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
  • Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  • Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

If you receive a call from someone who claims to be with the IRS asking you to pay back taxes, here’s what you should do:

  • If you owe, or think you might owe federal taxes: Hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040.
  • If you don’t owe taxes: Report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.
  • File a complaint: If you think you’re a victim of a phone scam, you may also file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

To learn more about ways to safeguard your information, visit Intuit’s online security center or go to IRS.gov to guard against phone scams.

About Intuit Inc.

Intuit Inc. creates business and financial management solutions that simplify the business of life for small businesses, consumers and accounting professionals.

Its flagship products and services include QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, which make it easier to manage small businesses and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. Mint.com provides a fresh, easy and intelligent way for people to manage their money, while Demandforce® offers marketing and communication tools for small businesses. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit's leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants.

Founded in 1983, Intuit had revenue of $4.5 billion in its fiscal year 2014. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.

Intuit Inc.
Julie Miller, 858-215-8469
Julie_Miller@intuit.com

Source: Intuit Inc.

Released March 13, 2015