There have been many reports over the last few months of seniors (mostly) getting calls from folks who purport to be IRS agents (sometimes they even know the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number) claiming that you owe back taxes and are in danger of being arrested. They then demand payment using a wire-transfer, bitcoin, or a pre-paid credit card.
- If they know the last 4 digits of your SS it is possible that your identity has been compromised. Though the last 4 digits are available from many sources.
- DO NOT pay them. This is a scam as the real IRS does not operate this way.
- Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to determine if you really owe anything. If you do, pay it in a proper manner
- You can report the situation to the Treasury Inspector General’s Office at6 800-366-4484. If the bogus request came via email (another technique NOT used by the real IRS) you can forward the email, along with a brief note, to psishing@irs.gov. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES OPEN ATTACHMENTS THAT MIGHT COME FROM AN UNSAFE SOURCE.
- Lastly, you can contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov
The important thing, as described in previous articles, is to be cautious.
If you want to learn about bitcoin, the following article provides a good overview http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin. In essence, bitcoins are a fabricated currency whose value fluctuates just like the dollar, but much more wildly. Since it is not government controlled and tracked, it has become a favorite of criminals, but many legitimate companies are beginning to use it.