Sunrise Mountain View Estates

At the Neighborhood Watch meeting last month, speakers from the sheriff’s office warned about the increasing number of scams–especially by phone or email–being reported.  SMVE homeowners have recently reported being called by scammers pretending to be from the IRS and asking for money they say you owe.  Such calls are scams as the IRS always sends bills or notices by USPS mail and doesn’t call you demanding you send money immediately. If you are called by someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, call 911, 800-366-4484, or fill out a reporting form at http://www.tigta.gov/.

The Arizona Daily Star published the IRS warnings in the Friday paper. We sent an SMVE Alert, and are republishing the warning here, to remind everyone to hang up on scammers and solicitors.

IRS warns of scams

The Internal Revenue Service warns people that scammers may try using the April 18 tax deadline to prey on taxpayers with fake phone calls and emails.

Officials warn to watch out for threatening phone calls, email scams that appear to be from a tax agency or a tax software company.

Scams include the soliciting of W-2 information from payroll and human resources professionals. Others may ask to verify tax return information over the phone, and some may pretend to be from the tax preparation industry, said officials.

The IRS will not call to demand immediate payment over the phone, or talk about taxes owed without first mailing you a bill, authorities said.

Agents also will not threaten to immediately bring in local police or any law enforcement agencies to have you arrested for not paying.

Officials also will not demand that you pay taxes without an appeal, or require a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

To report someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money and you don’t owe taxes, call 1-800-366-4484.

by ✉ Joe Steiner, SMVE HOA Safety and Security Chair and ✉ Guy Scharf, President, SMVE HOA