Cybercriminals are calling from, or asking potential victims to contact, the telephone number 888-471-0706, claiming they are from the Taxpayer Abatement Assistance Office. The "Taxpayer Abatement Assistance" (or similar "Tax Resolution Team" names) scam involves fraudulent phone calls, emails, or texts claiming to resolve urgent tax issues, impersonating the IRS or state tax authorities. These scams threaten fines or legal action to steal personal information or money. Hang up immediately; the IRS initiates contact via mail, not phone.
Red Flags
- Impersonation: Fraudsters claim to be from the "Tax Resolution Team," "Tax Review Unit," or IRS.
- Urgent Threats: They use alarming language about lgal action, tax fraud, or frozen accounts.
- Phishing/Smishing: Emails and texts often contain links to fake IRS websites to steal login credentials or personal data.
- Unexpected Refunds: Scammers may claim you are owed a refund (e.g., "inflation refund") to trick you into providing bank details.
Protect Yourself
- Do Not Engage: Hang up or delete the message immediately.
- Verify Independently: Never use contact information provided by the caller. Log in directly to your official IRS online account to verify notice status.
- Report the Scam:
- TIGTA: Report IRS impersonation scams on their website or call 1-800-366-4484.
- FTC: Report phishing scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Email: Report fraudulent emails to phishing@irs.gov.
- Do Not Pay: The IRS does not demand immediate payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or pre-paid debit cards.
Legitimate tax professionals will not make unsolicited calls demanding immediate payment.
The primary "taxpayer abatement assistance office" within the US government is the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers resolve issues, including penalty abatements.
- Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS): Helps taxpayers facing financial hardships or those who have been unable to resolve issues with the IRS.
- Phone: 1-877-777-4778
- Form: Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance
- IRS Penalty Relief Hotline: For simpler, first-time abatement requests, you can call the number listed on your penalty notice (typically 1-800-829-1040 for individuals).