North Reading Police Warn Against Tax Return Scam

NORTH READING, MA — North Reading police are warning residents to be wary of calls or emails claiming to be from the IRS.

“This time of year, residents might see fraudulent emails, calls or social media inquiries from entities pretending to be the IRS,” North Reading Police Chief Michael Murphy said. “These are all fraudulent and just one way that tax scams can occur. Our residents should understand how to avoid these scams and understand how they work.”

One common scam involves residents trying to file their taxes online, only to be met with a message that says the taxes were already submitted by someone else. Police encourage residents to complete and file taxes as soon as possible to give potential scammers less time and opportunity to submit a refund using their information.

Other scams during tax season include scammers calling residents claiming to be from the IRS or another government body to try to get personal information or financial information.

To avoid becoming a victim of an IRS scam, residents are encouraged to remember the following:

• If you owe back taxes, the IRS will contact you by mail, and not by phone, email or social media.
• The IRS never requests personal or financial information by email, text or social media. (The IRS says it has no way to text people.)
• The IRS does not leave prerecorded or urgent voicemails.
• The IRS will not ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card, gift cards, a money order or wire transfer.
• The IRS will not ask for a credit card number over the phone.

In the latest scam, an “IRS agent” states that a small fee is required to qualify for a government stimulus check. No government agency, including the IRS, requires anyone to pay anything to receive a stimulus payment.

If you receive a call from an IRS scammer, hang up. Police stressed residents should not engage with these callers. If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment, or if you think you may owe money, hang up and call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040. If you are ever unsure about a potential scam, contact the North Reading Police Department at 978-664-3131.