Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]

a { color:#0073AF !important;} a:hover { color:#004673 !important;}
IRS.gov Banner
IRS Newswire March 23, 2023

News Essentials

What's Hot [ [link removed] ]

News Releases [ [link removed] ]

IRS - The Basics [ [link removed] ]

IRS Guidance [ [link removed] ]

Media Contacts [ [link removed] ]

Facts & Figures [ [link removed] ]

Around The Nation [ [link removed] ]

e-News Subscriptions [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

The Newsroom Topics

Multimedia Center [ [link removed] ]

Noticias en Espa?ol [ [link removed] ]

Radio PSAs [ [link removed] ]

Tax Scams [ [link removed] ]

The Tax Gap [ [link removed] ]

Fact Sheets [ [link removed] ]

IRS Tax Tips [ [link removed] ]

Armed Forces [ [link removed] ]

Latest News Home [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

IRS Resources

Contact My Local Office [ [link removed] ]

Filing Options [ [link removed] ]

Forms & Instructions [ [link removed] ]

Frequently Asked Questions [ [link removed] ]

News [ [link removed] ]

Taxpayer Advocate [ [link removed] ]

Where to File [ [link removed] ]

IRS Social Media [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________


Issue Number: ???IR-2023-55

Inside This Issue
________________________________________________________________________

*Dirty Dozen: Watch out for third-party promoters of false fuel tax credit claims*

WASHINGTON ? As part of this year?s Dirty Dozen tax scams, the Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to watch out for promoters pushing improper fuel tax credit claims that taxpayers aren?t qualified to receive.?

The false fuel credit claims mark another important item on the IRS annual Dirty Dozen [ [link removed] ] list on day four of the annual campaign.?

?People should watch out for erroneous fuel tax credit claims and the scammers that promote them,? said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. ?These scammers will often charge a hefty fee for these bogus claims, and participants also face the possibility of identity theft. This is another example that people should always remember: Be wary if a tax deal sounds too good to be true.?

The Dirty Dozen is an annual IRS list of 12 scams and schemes that put taxpayers and the tax professional community at risk of losing money, personal data and more. Some items on the list are new, and some make a return visit. While the list is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, it is intended to alert taxpayers, businesses and tax preparers about scams at large.?

As a member of the Security Summit [ [link removed] ], the IRS, with state tax agencies and the nation?s tax industry, have taken numerous steps over the last eight years to warn people to watch out for common scams and schemes each tax season that can contribute to tax-related identity theft. Along with the Security Summit initiative, the Dirty Dozen [ [link removed] ] aims to protect taxpayers, businesses and the tax system from identity thieves and various hoaxes designed to steal money and information.?

*Beware of third-party promoters for the Fuel Tax Credit*

Improper credits continue to be an important area of focus for the IRS. The fuel tax credit is meant for off-highway business and farming use and, as such, is not available to most taxpayers. However, unscrupulous tax return preparers and promoters are enticing taxpayers to inflate their refunds by erroneously claiming the credit. The IRS has seen an increase in the promotion of filing certain refundable credits using Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels [ [link removed] ].?

In this scam, a third party convinces a taxpayer to fraudulently claim the credit with promises of a windfall refund. But the promoters are focused on their own gain, taking advantage of the taxpayer with inflated fees, refund fraud and identity theft.?

Taxpayers contemplating participating in any questionable tax scheme such as this should be aware the IRS has increased its compliance efforts related to falsely claiming these credits. IRS processing systems, including new identity theft screening filters, are now stopping a significant number of suspicious fuel tax credit refund claims.?

Before taking the bait on a dubious credit claim, taxpayers should seek advice from a legitimate source. Returns filed by individuals and tax preparers who knowingly claim a credit to which they are not entitled may face fines and even be subject to federal criminal prosecution and imprisonment [ [link removed] ].

*Help stop fraud and scams*

As part of the Dirty Dozen awareness effort, the IRS encourages people to report individuals who promote improper and abusive tax schemes as well as tax return preparers who deliberately prepare improper returns.?

To report an abusive tax scheme or a tax return preparer, people should mail or fax a completed?Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers [ [link removed] ]?and any supporting material to the IRS Lead Development Center in the Office of Promoter Investigations.

Mail:

Internal Revenue Service Lead Development Center

Stop MS5040

24000 Avila Road Laguna Niguel, California 92677-3405

Fax: 877-477-9135?

Alternatively, taxpayers and tax practitioners may send the information to the?IRS Whistleblower Office [ [link removed] ]?for possible monetary reward. For more information, see?Abusive Tax Schemes and Abusive Tax Return Preparers [ [link removed] ].

Back to Top [ #Fifteenth ]

________________________________________________________________________

FaceBook Logo [ [link removed] ]??YouTube Logo [ [link removed] ] ?Instagram Logo [ [link removed] ]? Twitter Logo [ [link removed] ] ?LinkedIn Logo [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for subscribing to the IRS Newswire, an IRS e-mail service.

If you know someone who might want to subscribe to this mailing list, please forward this message to them so they can subscribe [ [link removed] ].

This message was distributed automatically from the mailing list IRS Newswire. *Please Do Not Reply To This Message.*


________________________________________________________________________

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ [link removed] ]. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].

This service is provided to you at no charge by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [ [link removed] ].


body .abe-column-block {min-height: 5px;} ________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] by: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ? Internal Revenue Service ? 1111 Constitution Ave. N.W. ? Washington DC 20535 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]
body .abe-column-block { min-height: 5px; } table.gd_combo_table img {margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;} table.gd_combo_table div.govd_image_display img, table.gd_combo_table td.gd_combo_image_cell img {margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px;}