IRS Warns of Holiday Season Gift Card Scams and Other Fraud: How to Stay Safe

There are only a few days left until Christmas, which will also mark the end of Christmas Holiday gift buying season For almost everyone. Still, scammers and scammers are still rampant this time of year, and the IRS has issued some warnings about what you should be aware of.

Scammers thrive in an environment where consumers are squandering their money, and the more money, the better for them, making the holiday season an especially fertile hunting ground. Adobe says Holiday online spending is on the rise so far in 2024, with spending in 2023 expected to be approximately 8% higher than in 2023. The FBI has issued a warning Consumers about Scams during the holidaysspecifically calling out practices like gift card scams that the IRS has been sounding the alarm about.

“The holiday shopping season and the upcoming tax filing season create an attractive target for identity thieves and scam artists,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in the report. Statement of December 2. “Taxpayers should take extra care this holiday season to protect their valuable personal and financial information, whether shopping online or clicking on links in emails and other messages. A little extra care can protect taxpayers’ confidential information and reduce identity theft risk.

Read on for details on the IRS’s latest warning. For more on holiday shopping, find out how many shoppers there are Credit is expected to be used for purchases this year and Get some tips for safe online shopping.

Beware of IRS Scammers Requesting Gift Cards

in a posted to its official government websitethe IRS warned holiday shoppers not to “let scammers ruin holiday gift card giving.” Gift cards are a common aspect of many modern scams: criminals will often ask for gift cards in lieu of actual currency, as they are often exchanged for an exact cash value and are nearly untraceable.

The IRS is specifically warning people to be wary of scammers who try to impersonate IRS officers or other government officials, who may ask targets to provide gift cards of a certain value to pay off outstanding debts. There are other signs that such a demand is a scam: Scammers may insist on immediate payment, and they may threaten to involve law enforcement or other such entities if their demands are not met. A favorite tactic of scammers is to make people think they are in trouble and must act quickly, as this can lead people to make rash decisions.

The IRS emphasizes that it will never “require immediate payment using certain payment methods such as gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or wire transfers.” The agency usually first informs taxpayers via email how much they owe and always provides an opportunity to appeal the amount.

Watch out for fake delivery alerts

Although not directly related to taxes, the IRS issued a warning to consumers about fake package shipments. These messages (usually emails or text messages) falsely claim that the package ordered by the intended victim encountered a problem in transit and provide a link that purportedly corrects the problem. In fact, the link “represents a form of phishing that attempts to steal personal information or download malware.” The IRS explains.

To protect yourself from these phishing attempts, never click on any links contained in such emails. If you would like to confirm the condition of your package, please check its status directly using the shipping company’s official tracking tool or call their customer support line. These resources will help you get straight answers without putting your personal information at risk.

What if I suspect I’ve discovered a scam?

The IRS encourages victims, scammers, or anyone who suspects they have been defrauded to report it to the Treasury Department’s Office of the Inspector General for Tax Administration. This can be done online via: Impersonating IRS Fraud Report page or call 800-366-4484.

For more information, see how Google can instantly monitor potential phone scams.