As we start the income tax season, IRS scams are beginning to proliferate.  One that is presently being reported starts with a phone call that purports to be from the IRS telling the victim that he or she owes money to the IRS for overdue taxes and that there will be dire consequences unless the person obtains a Green Dot MoneyPak card and then provides the number to the phony IRS agent.  Although this seems particularly outrageous and ridiculous, the scammers who are doing this scam are quite adept at convincing people to obtain the cards and provide their numbers to the scammer.  The Green Dot MoneyPak card and other money cards are a medium of choice for paying scammers because they are impossible to trace.

TIPS

The IRS does not contact you by phone in regard to money that is owed for overdue taxes.  Neither will they contact you by email.  They also will not demand payment by way of a Green Dot MoneyPak card.  Although there are many legitimate uses for these cards, anytime you are asked to pay by way of a Green Dot MoneyPak card, you should be a bit more skeptical of the situation.  If ever you are contacted by phone by anyone who represents that they are an IRS representative, tell them to contact you by mail.