Every year IRS publishes its list of the most obnoxious tax scams for the year – taking the name from a famous movie of decades ago: “The Dirty Dozen.”
It’s always amusing to review the list, while at the same time recognizing that there are real crooks out there, trying to steal not only from unsuspecting taxpayers, but also from Uncle Sam himself.
“Taxpayers should be careful and avoid falling into a trap with the Dirty Dozen,” says IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “Scam artists will tempt people in-person, on-line and by e-mail with misleading promises about lost refunds and free money. Don’t be fooled by these scams.”
Number one on this year’s list is identity theft, generally first brought to the attention of the target taxpayer who receives a notice from IRS that more than one return was filed in that taxpayer’s name or that the taxpayer received wages from an unknown employer. Folks who suspect for one reason or another, that their personal identity has been stolen and used for tax purposes should contact IRS – check out www.IRS.gov/identitytheft for the procedures.
And if you are interested in the rest of the “Dirty Dozen,” get hold of IRS News Release 2012-23, issued just last week.
Post authored by Jeffrey A. Quinn
