Greetings International Participants.
I received an e-mail from a UNMC international student explaining that someone had called claiming to be from the IRS, and the student had a warrant for arrest due to unpaid taxes on foreign bank transfers. The phone number on the caller ID matched up to a legitimate IRS office number, but as the details the caller requested became more intrusive, the student did the right thing and did not share any personal information.
Please see the following official IRS website which explains how to determine whether a call from the IRS is legitimate: <http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/Scam-Phone-Calls-Continue;-IRS-Identifies-Five-Easy-Ways-to-Spot-Suspicious-Calls> as well as this site regarding scams using the IRS name <http://www.irs.gov/uac/Phishing-and-Other-Schemes-Using-the-IRS-Name>. As the first site indicates, the IRS will never call someone without first mailing them a bill. Please read through these websites to protect yourself from IRS scams that target international visitors, as well as American citizens and permanent residents. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, please report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484 or on their website here: <www.tigta.gov>.
Thank you for your attention,
Dan Teet, International Student Advisor
UNMC International Health & Education