The IRS continues to warn the public to be alert for telephone scams and offers five tell-tale warning signs to tip you off if you get such a call. These callers claim to be with the IRS. The scammers often demand money to pay taxes. Some may try to con you by saying that you’re due a refund. The refund is a fake lure so you’ll give them your banking or other private financial information.

These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They may even know a lot about you. They may alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. They use fake names and bogus IRS badge numbers. If you don’t answer, they often leave an “urgent” callback request.
The IRS respects taxpayer rights when working out payment of your taxes. So, it’s pretty easy to tell when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a sign of a scam. The IRS will never:
Call you about taxes you owe without first mailing you an official notice.

Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the chance to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

Require you to use a certain payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what to do:
If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to talk about payment options. You also may be able to set up a payment plan online at IRS.gov.

If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to TIGTA at 1.800.366.4484 or at http://www.tigta.gov.

If phone scammers target you, also contact the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. Use their “FTC Complaint Assistant” to report the scam. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.
Remember, the IRS currently does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issues. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to http://www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.

Did you know there’s a free, online program to help teachers and students – or others who may be interested – learn the “hows” and “whys” of taxes? The IRS calls it “Understanding Taxes.” It was designed by the IRS and teachers to make learning about federal taxes as easy as A-B-C.

Accessible (web-based)
Brings learning to life
Comprehensive
Here are six more reasons to check out the Understanding Taxes program:
There are thirty-nine lessons available 24/7 on IRS.gov. The program helps you learn with lessons that are easy, relevant and fun.

The site map is user friendly. You can quickly look through the program and skip to the part you want.

A series of tax tutorials guide you through the basics of tax preparation. Another feature is a chance to test your knowledge through tax trivia. There’s also a glossary of tax terms.

If you’re a teacher, you can customize the interactive program to fit your own style. You can use your own lesson plans and plan your own activities. It’s easy to add to your school’s curriculum.

You don’t need to register or login to use the program. You can take a break and return to where you left off whenever you choose. Just take note of the page and lesson number before you leave the page.

The program is a great way to learn about the history and theory of taxes in the USA.
You can use the program anytime during the year. Just visit IRS.gov and type “Understanding Taxes” in the search box. The IRS usually updates the content each fall so that it reflects current tax law and tax forms.
IRS YouTube Videos:

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