Every tax season, there are criminals trying to scam innocent people out of some of their money. Bogus, aggressive phone calls demanding payment and "phishy" emails taking you to scam sites are still the most prevalent scams, but there are some new tactics, and some lesser-known scams to be wary of too.Business Insider spoke with three CPAs to get the inside scoop on scams to watch out for this year.Tax season is almost upon us, and if you are one of the organized few, you are already preparing your paperwork and considering your options for tax preparation. But there's another group getting revved up for the tax season: Fraudsters.These criminals can try to scam you in person, over the phone, or, most popularly, through email. Business Insider spoke with three CPAs to help prepare you to look out forand avoidtax-season scams. SEE ALSO:10 abbreviations you should know to navigate your tax forms1. Phishing emailsThe IRS, other government agencies, and banks have been warning us about these emails for years, but they continue to be a problem. Some of these fraudulent emails will look like they are from the IRS or a bank and will ask you to visit their site and "update your account," according to the IRS. The page will look official, and criminals are hoping you'll enter your private information so they can use it to steal your identity, file a fake tax return in your name, or open new accounts without your knowledge. There is a new twist on the theme this year. Fraudsters are sending emails pretending to be a professional association you might belong to, "like the state societies of opticians, or lawyers, or any other profession," Melanie Lauridsen, senior manager for tax policy and advocacy at the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) told Business Insider. Criminals will often use the official name of a professional association, or a very similar name, according to Lauridsen. The email will say that you need to login to update your information, such as licensure or registration info, and get you to enter other sensitive information. This leaves you vulnerable to identity theft or other fraud.2. Phone calls from the "IRS""More and more of my clients have been getting random phone calls from scammers claiming to work for the IRS," Chad Elkins, CPA and author of "Elkins' Tax Guide 2019 Edition," told Business Insider. The IRS will almost never make initial contact with you by phone. "They like to target the elderly and recent immigrants, in particular, who may not be aware that the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment, nor contact taxpayers about taxes owed without first corresponding by mail or providing the taxpayer an opportunity to appeal a balance due," Elkins said.These scammers have gotten sophisticated, according to the IRS. Now, they can spoof the local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) phone number to appear on your caller ID. If you doubt them, the scammers will tell you to look up the number. Why do people fall for this' "Aggressive, high-pressure tactics enable schemes like this to work. Victims are threatened with arrest and other severe consequences if they don't make payment immediately. People react in a moment of fear and anxiety and do it," CPA Richard Lindsey, author of "Fairness or Folly: A Real World Guide to the Temporary Tax Reform of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," told Business Insider.The IRS does not do anything immediatethey have a process of warning letters, registered mail, and other paper information before they demand money. To collect the money owed, the IRS can file a tax lien on your home, levy your bank account or wages, or offset any refund you are entitled. Eventually, they can seize your car, boat, or real estate if you don't pay up. They have the force of the law behind them to eventually collect any money that you might legitimately owe them.3. Using your Social Security number to file a tax return and steal your refundWhether criminals have gotten your information from hacking, data breaches, or by using a phishing email that you fell for, if they have your social security number and other vital data about you, they can file a return in your name, according to Lindsey. "The scammers often get the refund put onto prepaid debit cards instead of being deposited in bank accounts because it's a lot harder to trace once the payment has been made," Lindsey said."We saw it at the height for our clients in 2017," Lindsey said, but the number of incidents has been declining since then. If you can file early, this reduces your chances of having this scam pulled on you.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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