IRS Unveils “Dirty Dozen” List of Tax Scams for 2020; Americans urged vigilance for these threats during the pandemic and its aftermath

Fake Charities

Criminals frequently exploit natural disasters and other situations like the current COVID-19 pandemic by creating bogus charities to rob well-meaning people trying to help in times of need. Fake charity scams generally increase at times like these.

Fraudulent schemes typically begin with unsolicited contact by phone, text, social media, email, or in-person using a variety of tactics. Bogus websites use names similar to legitimate charities to trick people into sending money or providing personal financial information. They may even claim to be working for or on behalf of the IRS to help victims file claims for loss of victims and obtain tax refunds.

Taxpayers should be particularly wary of names like nationally known organizations. Legitimate charities will provide your Employer Identification Number (EIN), if requested, which can be used to verify your legitimacy. Taxpayers can find legitimate, qualified charities with the search tool on IRS.gov.