How To Spot Tax Relief Scams Affecting North Dakota Residents

Recently residents around the state have been getting harassed by a news scam from individuals claiming to offer tax relief, saying that you have been "pre-selected" for the IRS Fresh Start program—which is a real program for relieving tax debt.

This type of scam is about tax avoidance or offering you an easy way to pay pennies on the dollar to offer tax relief, which is an easy target due to the fact that in 2022, approximately 18.6 million individual Americans owed the IRS a combined $360 billion in overdue taxes.

That number is an increase from 16.8 million owing $308 billion in 2019.

For those in debt and facing uncertainty, this may seem like a gift to get them back on their feet but can, in fact, result in lost money and identity.

North Dakota's Attorney General has several resources to help North Dakotans protect themselves against these scams that become more prevalent and sophisticated every year.

Here is what the IRS says about tax scams

You can avoid falling for a tax scam. Know what to watch out for and how the IRS contacts you.

Tax scam warning signs

Scammers mislead you about tax refunds, credits, and payments. They pressure you for personal, financial, or employment information or money. IRS impersonators try to look like us.

Watch out for:

A big payday: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bad tax advice on social media may convince you to lie on tax forms or mislead you about credits you can claim.
Demands or threats: Impersonators want you to pay “now or else.” They threaten arrest or deportation. They don’t let you question or appeal the amount of tax you owe.
Website links: Odd or misspelled web links can take you to harmful sites instead of IRS.gov.