Protecting and Defending Taxpayer Rights

Consumers and taxpayers are strongly advised NOT to respond to any unsolicited calls, often automated calls, that are being placed by individuals or operators who claim to be calling from the IRS or from fraudulent organizations that take on generic names such as the “tax help center”, “tax help group”, “tax relief center”, the IRS itself, or some other name that is intended to make themselves sound legitimate. Do NOT respond to these calls. Report unsolicited calls or abuse: [email protected]

These scam calls have become a source of great stress across the country for individuals, families, and businesses who have been victimized. We have already lodged our own complaint with the authorities, including the FTC.

If you haven’t already done so, you can assist in the effort to help stop this abuse by blocking all calls from unknown numbers and you can go to www.donotcall.gov to register your phone number to report, stop, or block unwanted, annoying, telemarketing, spam calls, and/or robocalls to the FTC.

Again, consumers are strongly advised not to respond to unsolicited calls from anyone claiming to reduce, resolve, or eliminate tax debt – often these scammers will even provide a phony case number to scare taxpayers and they often call from VOIP or internet phone numbers that have NO physical address. Many of these operations likely are located offshore.

Please be advised that the IRS follows a protocol of contacting individuals or businesses first by mail and does not initiate collection activities by phone. So, again, do not respond to unsolicited phone calls from anyone who claims to resolve or eliminate tax debt. Often, these scammers will even include a message or voicemail that includes a phony “case number” – but again, do not respond.

Please be advised that it IS important that individuals, families, and businesses follow IRS guidelines in paying taxes as required by law and not ignore IRS letters and notices delivered via US mail.

This could help taxpayers avoid additional penalties and interest. If taxpayers DO have any concern regarding a letter or notice from the IRS or question about the legitimacy of any notice– they should contact the IRS directly at www.irs.gov or taxpayers may call 1 (800) 829-1040.