Taxpayers warned about scammers posing as IRS agents

MADISON (WITI) -- The federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently warned taxpayers about a scam in which crooks posing as IRS agents have called taxpayers demanding immediate tax payments via debit cards or wire transfers and threatening arrest or other penalties.

In light of these reports, Wisconsin Department of Revenue Secretary Richard Chandler is reminding Wisconsin taxpayers that the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) does not initiate taxpayer communications through email or request detailed personal information by phone or email.

Chandler stated in a statement the following:

"We do not email or call you to request your social security number, PIN numbers, passwords, or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.  Our policies are similar to the IRS policies.  If you owe taxes, DOR will have notified you by U.S. mail – not email or phone.  DOR does not ask for payment via debit card or wire transfer.  DOR does not ask you to provide a credit card number over the phone.  And DOR never requests personal or financial information by text or social media."