MI Department of Treasury Warns of Summer Tax Scams

The scams never stop...remember that.

Summer has begun, but that doesn't mean that the scammers aren't still trying to get money out of you! The Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding you to stay alert when it comes to scams. These scams can come to you through a phone call of someone impersonating a tax official, an email, and even fake letters to your mailbox.

Some of the signs of a scammer include them asking for cash through a wire transfer, prepaid debit or gift cards, and they tend to make the situation seem very urgent or aggressive. They typically try to impersonate someone from the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, and other government agencies.

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If you are in contact with someone that you think may be a scammer, remember, the Treasury Department will never do the following things:

• Demand immediate payment with a specific method (prepaid debit card, gift card, wire transfer, etc.)
• Threaten to immediately bring local police into the situation if you refuse to pay.
• Threaten to seize your property including bank accounts, wages, assets, cars, etc...if the debt is not settled.
• Demand taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer a chance to question or appeal the amount.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or through email.

If you do come into contact with a scammer you should hang up the phone and/or delete the emails immediately. If you have a question about the legitimacy of debt, call the Treasury Collections Service Center at 1-517-636-5265. For more information on scammers, click here. 

Source: Michigan.gov