Every now and then, I like to remind you to be on the lookout for scams.  I just received an e-mail from the IRS last week, saying that there was a problem with a payment that I had sent.

Even though I had not made a payment, and the amount listed was totally bogus, I still had that feeling of doubt and fear wondering if something could possibly be wrong with my account.  Do you get that scary feeling, too, when you get a communication that claims to be from the IRS?

I just called a client last week, and she did not pick up the phone until I started to leave a voice mail on her phone because someone claiming to be from the IRS had called her several times demanding that a payment be made.  She was screening her calls so that she would not have to deal with this intimidating fraudulent person on the phone again.

Just be very careful that you do not fall for these scams. 

What should you do if this happens to you?  First of all:

• Do not give any personal information over the telephone
• Do not click on any links listed in the e-mail (The IRS e-mail I received had a bogus link on it)
• Report the incident to the proper authority
• Look at IRS Publication 4523 to see who to contact regarding these schemes

If you know or think you owe taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040.  The employees can help you with any payment issue.

If you know you don't owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (e.g., you have not received any bill or the caller makes some bogus threats), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.

If you have been targeted by these scams, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their "FTC Complaint Assistant" at FTC.gov.  Make sure you add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments of your complaint.

Identity theft continues to be on the rise.  So, you must be vigilant to make sure that it doesn't happen to you.