Senior Beat
By Carol Higgins Taylor
Special to The Weekly
It used to be said there were only two things that one can be sure of in life: death and taxes. In
today’s world there is a third: scams. Regardless of the subject matter, there is a scammer ready to pounce.
As I pulled together all of my tax information, I became aware of a scam targeting taxpayers. It is
so insidious and serious that, in a press release, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George urged taxpayers to be on “high alert.” Seems taxpayers are getting phone calls from “individuals claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in an effort to defraud them.”
This scam is the largest one of its kind that the Tax Administration has ever seen.
“The callers are aggressive, they are relentless and they are ruthless,” George said in the written statement. “Once they have your attention, they will say anything to con you out of your hard-earned cash.
Seniors may be particularly frightened by these tactics and more susceptible to the threats. Let’s
face it: No one wants to mess with the IRS. Scammers know that and take advantage of it. And this is the perfect time of year as April 15 looms.
“If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and uses threatening language if you
don’t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really isn’t the IRS calling,” George said.
The IRS contacts people via the mail, not by phone, about unpaid taxes. The IRS will never ask
for payment over the phone using a credit card, a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. This will never happen.
Here’s how it works, according to the Tax Administration. The scammers will often:
- Utilize an automated robocall machine, so a computer robot type of thing is making the calls.
- Use common names and fake IRS badge numbers.
- Make caller ID information appear as if the IRS is calling. Caller ID used to be helpful but now people can trick you into thinking someone else is calling.
- Send bogus IRS emails to support their scam.
- Call a second or third time claiming to be the police or department of motor vehicles, and the caller ID again supports their claim.
They may know, or claim to know, the last four digits of your Social Security number but do not
fall for this. In the new high-tech world these numbers aren’t that hard to come by.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment, here’s what
the Tax Administration recommends you do:
- If you actually do owe Federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
- If you don’t owe taxes, fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form at treasury.gov/tigta or call the Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.
According to George, every state has seen this scam so be vigilant when answering the phone and be alert for email scams that use the IRS name.
Even though it may be nerve-wracking to hear an “angry IRS agent” on the other end of the
phone, remember, it is a lie. The IRS will not call you on the phone, nor will they ever request personal or financial information by email, texting or any social media, such as Facebook.
If you do get such an email, forward it to phishing@irs.gov. Never open any attachments or click
on any links in those emails. And hang up the phone if the caller claims to be from the IRS. Learn more about tax scams on the genuine IRS website at irs.gov.
Special note to residents of Orono, Old Town, Veazie and Milford. There is a group called,
Thriving in Place, composed of community members, law enforcement, town officials and staff
from local nonprofit agencies, who either live or work in the four towns.
The group’s goal is to find the gaps in services being used by seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers in these towns. Knowing what is working, what isn’t working and what is missing, may help them secure a grant to make improvements to the services.
Here’s where you come in. If you live in Orono, Old Town, Veazie or Milford, you probably will receive a survey in the mail. Please fill it out and return in the envelope provided by Thursday, April 30.
This information is critical to the grant writing process. Research always is. It’s also very
important to help the group understand how best to serve you and keep you home and independent. Thriving in place, if you will, which is what the groups is all about.
The powers that be cannot fix something if they don’t know it’s broken. This survey will give you a voice. It is completely anonymous.
If you did not get a survey in the mail and want to take part, you may pick one up at the town offices or libraries in the four towns, or contact Dyan Walsh, director of community and family
caregiver services at Eastern Area Agency on Aging, 941-2865.
Carol Higgins Taylor is an advocate for seniors and owns Bryant Street Public Relations in Bangor. Email her at seniorbeat@gmail.com.