It’s not just the goblins and ghouls that you have to worry about this month. It’s the real bad guys: scammers and thieves.
Just this week, the IRS issued another warning about tax scams. This one – a new one – uses a website that mimics the IRS e-Services online registration page.
The real IRS e-Services page can be found here – it’s always with the .gov at the end. The phony site looks similar but may have a different ending on the URL such as .com, .net or .org.
It’s also important to note that the IRS e-Services page is for tax pros, not taxpayers. If you’re not a tax professional, you don’t need to register for a PTIN or any similar service. Don’t enter your personally identifiable information onto any page that claims otherwise.
If you receive these emails, just delete them. Or, if you’re so inclined, you can help the IRS out by forwarding the URL to phishing@irs.gov. So that it doesn’t get lost, use the subject line: Suspicious website. You can also forward any suspicious-looking emails to the same address.
Please consider this your regular reminder that the IRS will never, ever initiate communication with you about your federal taxes via email or on a social media site.
