44 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 25, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
TAX TIPS
How to Avoid
Becoming a
Scam Victim
BY JOHN SAVIGNANO, CPA
The IRS impersonation scam seems implausibly successful for
the criminals. The premise of the scheme is dubious on its face:
The IRS is demanding payment in gift cards for back taxes under
the threat of immediate arrest. And yet thousands of Americans
were conned out of millions of dollars. Why?
Schemes like this work because the scammer’s aggressive, high
pressure tactics create “the emotional ether,” a reactive emotional
state of heightened fear and anxiety that short circuits
logical thinking.
Then-Deputy Inspector General Timothy Camus describes this
state in recent congressional testimony: “A senior citizen located
in Florida who was so frightened by the impersonators that,
following their directions, he immediately drove to his local
Walmart, while remaining on the phone with them. During the
drive, he crashed his vehicle and continued on foot in order to
obtain a MoneyGram payment demanded by the impersonators.
You’re thinking with your emotions. Once you’re out of that
cognitively, you’re like, “Wait a second, this doesn’t make sense.”
Along with awareness of fraudulent schemes, fraud prevention
experts offer the following advice that CPAs’ clients can use to
avoid falling under the “emotional ether” of scammers.
Don’t Pick Up
Never answer a call from an unknown number. Don’t worry;
important callers will leave a message. Any time you pick up
your phone to someone who you do not know, you are opening
yourself up to their scams and their ploy.
Hang Up
Spoofed calls may trick you into answering the phone. Don’t
panic if you do answer a suspicious call. If anyone called you out
of the blue and demands money and threatens you, just hang up
the phone. It’s a scam.
Never Offer Information to a Stranger
If you are caught on the phone with a suspected scammer,
don’t help him or her out. Scammers often exploit Americans’
fear and distrust of authority figures to con victims, but government
agencies never call demanding information or payment.
Don’t give any personal information to anyone who calls you.
Never give money to people that you don’t know.
Check in With Authorities
If you do receive a suspicious call, hang up and call the IRS
directly. Even if you know you’re in the clear, letting authorities
know about an attempted scam will help them monitor and
prevent future schemes.
John Savignano is a partner with Savignano Accountants & Advisors
located at 47-46 Vernon Blvd., Second Floor, in Long Island City.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please
call John at 718-707-0955.
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