Key points:

-The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has established a dedicated page where people can report coronavirus related tax scams.

-This website also has tips for taxpayers to know what red flags to look for in potential scams.

-This action is a reminder of the work already being done by agency inspectors general, oversight agencies, and congressional oversight committees. Democrats’ partisan calls for more red tape were intended to downplay the transparency and accountability measures already in place.

The details:

Economic Impact Payments will be arriving soon for families and workers to help with any financial burdens Americans may be experiencing as we work to defeat the novel coronavirus. As we have reported before, scams and schemes may find their way to taxpayers via phone, social media, or email tied to these relief checks. If you do find yourself victim to what appears to be a scam, you can report it directly to the federal government here and fill out a one-page online form. The website also has helpful tips for taxpayers to ensure they don’t fall victim to these scams:

• “The IRS will generally first contact people by mail – not by phone – about tax related matters.
• “If the IRS does contact you by telephone, they will not insist on any pre-payment using an iTunes card, gift card, prepaid debit card, money order, or wire transfer, in order to receive economic impact payments.
• “The IRS will also never request personal or financial information by e-mail, text, letters, or any social media.”

Want to read more on the fight against Coronavirus? Read our Coronavirus Bulletin here which contains our extensive FAQ about recent federal actions.