Today, we present the next two scams from the 2022 IRS Dirty Dozen – its annual list of top tax scams.
These next two schemes have been on the rise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch out for Economic Impact Payment and Offer in Compromise (OIC) Mills. Share this with your friends and family to help avoid being defrauded.
5: Economic Impact Payment and Tax Refund Scams
Identity thieves who try to use Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), also known as stimulus payments, are a continuing threat to individuals. Similar to tax refund scams, taxpayers should watch out for these tell-tale signs of scams:
Any text messages, random incoming phone calls or emails inquiring about bank account information, requesting recipients to click a link or verify data should be considered suspicious and deleted without opening. This includes not just stimulus payments, but tax refunds and other common issues.
Remember, the IRS won’t initiate contact by phone, email, text or social media asking for Social Security numbers or other personal or financial information related to Economic Impact Payments. Also be alert to mailbox theft. Routinely check your mail and report suspected mail losses to postal inspectors.
Reminder: The IRS has issued all Economic Impact Payments. Most eligible people already received their stimulus payments. People who are missing a stimulus payment or got less than the full amount may be eligible to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2020 or 2021 federal tax return. Taxpayers should remember that the IRS website, IRS.gov, is the agency’s official website for information on payments, refunds and other tax information.
Unemployment Fraud Leading to Inaccurate Taxpayer 1099-Gs
Because of the pandemic, many taxpayers lost their jobs and received unemployment compensation from their state. However, scammers also took advantage of the pandemic by filing fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation using stolen personal information of individuals who had not filed claims. Payments made on these fraudulent claims went to the identity thieves.
Taxpayers should also be on the lookout for a Form 1099-G reporting unemployment compensation they didn’t receive. For people in this situation, the IRS urges them to contact their appropriate state agency for a corrected form. If a corrected form cannot be obtained so that a taxpayer can file a timely tax return, taxpayers should complete their return claiming only the unemployment compensation and other income they actually received. See Identity Theft and Unemployment Benefits for tax details and DOL.gov/fraud for state-by-state reporting information.
6: Offer in Compromise Mills
Offer in Compromise (OIC) “mills” make outlandish claims usually in local advertising regarding how they can settle a person’s tax debt for pennies on the dollar. The reality usually is that taxpayers pay the OIC mill a fee to get the same deal they could have gotten on their own by working directly with the IRS.
The IRS has compiled the annual Dirty Dozen list for more than 20 years as a way of alerting taxpayers and the tax professional community about scams and schemes. The list is not a legal document or a literal listing of agency enforcement priorities. It is designed to raise awareness among a variety of audiences that may not always be aware of developments involving tax administration.
OIC mills are a problem all year long but tend to be more visible right after the filing season is over and taxpayers are trying to resolve their tax issues perhaps after receiving a balance due notice in the mail.
For those who feel they need help, there are many reputable tax professionals available, and there are important tools that can help people find the right practitioner for their needs. IRS.gov is a good place to start scoping out what to do.
These “mills” contort the IRS program into something it’s not — misleading people with no chance of meeting the requirements while charging excessive fees, often thousands of dollars.
An “offer,” or OIC, is an agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS that resolves the taxpayer’s tax debt. The IRS has the authority to settle, or “compromise,” federal tax liabilities by accepting less than full payment under certain circumstances. However, some promoters are inappropriately advising indebted taxpayers to file an OIC application with the IRS, even though the promoters know the person won’t qualify. This costs honest taxpayers money and time.
Before taxpayers start investing time to do the paperwork necessary to submit an offer, they’ll want to check out the IRS’s Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier Tool to make sure they’re eligible to file one. (Note: even though individuals and businesses can submit an offer, the tool is currently only available to individuals.)
The IRS also created an OIC video playlist that leads taxpayers through a series of steps and forms to help them calculate an appropriate offer based on their assets, income, expenses and future earning potential. Find these helpful, easy-to-navigate videos at irsvideos.gov/oic.
The IRS reminds taxpayers that under the First Time Penalty Abatement policy, taxpayers can go directly to the IRS for administrative relief from a penalty that would otherwise be added to their tax debt.
OIC mills are one example of unscrupulous tax preparers. Taxpayers should be wary of unscrupulous “ghost” preparers and aggressive promises of manufacturing a bigger refund.
Ghost preparers: Although most tax preparers are ethical and trustworthy, taxpayers should be wary of preparers who won’t sign the tax returns they prepare, often referred to as ghost preparers. For e-filed returns, the “ghost” will prepare the return, but refuse to digitally sign as the paid preparer.
By law, anyone who is paid to prepare, or assists in preparing federal tax returns, must have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Paid preparers must sign and include their PTIN on the return.
Inflated refunds: Not signing a return is a red flag that the paid preparer may be looking to make a quick profit by promising a big refund or charging fees based on the size of the refund.
Unscrupulous tax return preparers may also:
- Require payment in cash only and will not provide a receipt.
- Invent income to qualify their clients for tax credits.
- Claim fake deductions to boost the size of the refund.
- Direct refunds into their bank account, not the taxpayer’s account.
Choose wisely. The Choosing a Tax Professional page on IRS.gov has information about tax preparer credentials and qualifications. The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications can help identify many preparers by type of credential or qualification.
Taxpayers are legally responsible for what’s on their tax return even if it is prepared by someone else.
For more information, please visit the IRS website or contact an HW&Co. Advisor today.
Keep reading for more of the IRS Dirty Dozen list.
