Better Business Bureau warns of new twists on IRS scam hitting Acadiana

BBB warns of new twists on IRS scam hitting Acadiana

For years, scammers pretending to be Internal Revenue Service agents have been calling Acadiana residents trying to con them out of hard-earned money.

Consumers report phone calls where scammers claim to be IRS agents and demand payment of back taxes or unfiled returns through money wire, pre-paid credit cards or access to bank accounts. Often, the rip-off artists even threaten arrest or court actions against the consumer as a fear tactic to con people into paying.

Although the scam is usually at its busiest through April 15, the IRS tax filing deadline, it generally continues year-round.

As the 2016 tax season begins, to Better Business Bureau Serving Acadiana is warning of two new twists on this old scam.

The first variant revolves around the scammers speaking Spanish and specifically targeting Acadiana’s Latino population. One New Iberia resident reported to BBB that Spanish-speaking scammers called her and told her they were with the IRS and she needed to immediately pay money to avoid arrest.

She immediately hung up and called BBB to report the scam. She said she was a long-time citizen of the U.S., but was born in Mexico and recognized the accent.

In the second new version of the scam, con artists call consumers and tell them that they have an additional “refund” owed them, but in order to collect the funds, they must first wire hundreds of dollars. Of course, there is no actual refund and if the money is sent, it is lost forever.

The BBB of Acadiana offers the following tips to help avoid this and other IRS scams:

· Always call BBB if you suspect a scam before sending money or giving bank or personal information.

· The IRS always sends a letter as a first correspondence for official business, never a phone call, text or email. They do not request personal or financial information. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts.

If you are unsure whether or not the IRS is actually trying to contact you about a tax issue, call them directly at (800) 829-1040. This way, you know you are actually dealing with the IRS and not scammers.

· Never giver personal or banking information over the phone unless you initiate the call and are sure of the person on the other line.

· The IRS won’t ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. The IRS also won’t ask for a credit card number over the phone.

“Look for the Seal” and Start with Trust®. BBB Serving Acadiana is a private non-profit organization. BBB strives for a trustworthy marketplace by maintaining standards for truthful advertising, investigating and exposing fraud against consumers and businesses.

Please contact Better Business Bureau at (337) 981-3497 24 or bbb.org 24 hours a day for information on businesses throughout North America. Consumers can also sign up for our “Scoop” BBB eNewsletter by visiting bbb.org and clicking on the “Programs & Services” tab.

BBB Serving Acadiana services the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Landry and Vermilion.