Tax Tips: IRS Warns Cupertino About 'Dirty Dozen' Scams

Editor's Note: The following information is provided by the IRS:

The Internal Revenue Service issued its annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud.

The Dirty Dozen listing, compiled by the IRS each year, details a variety of common scams taxpayers can encounter at any point during the year. But many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns.

"This tax season, the IRS has stepped up its efforts to protect taxpayers from a wide range of schemes, including moving aggressively to combat identity theft and refund fraud," said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven T. Miller. "The Dirty Dozen list shows that scams come in many forms during filing season. Don't let a scam artist steal from you or talk you into doing something you will regret later."

Illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. IRS Criminal Investigation works closely with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to shutdown scams and prosecute the criminals behind them.

The following are the Dirty Dozen tax scams for 2013:

1. Identity Theft
2. Phishing
3. Return Preparer Fraud
4. Hiding Income Offshore
5. “Free Money” from the IRS & Tax Scams Involving Social Security
6. Impersonation of Charitable Organizations
7. False/Inflated Income and Expenses
8. False Form 1099 Refund Claims
9. Frivolous Arguments
10. Falsely Claiming Zero Wages
11. Disguised Corporate Ownership
12. Misuse of Trusts

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