It could happen to you
April is looming in just a few months, which means everyone is trying to understand and get their taxes filed. It also brings out the criminals who prey on vulnerable individuals. If you’re a small business owner, you might believe that your business won’t be targeted by tax scammers, but according to the data, that is not at all true.
What are the scams?
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners reports that the typical organization loses about 5 percent of revenues each year due to fraud. However, I could not find any statistics about how much of that is from tax scammers. The ACFE says that small businesses are more vulnerable to fraud, whether by employees or outside vendors.
Don’t get fooled by any tax scam
- Phone scams – The IRS will not call your business and make threats. The IRS will send you a letter if you owe them money or are being audited.
- Fake charities – Don’t give money to a non-profit without checking their status. Sometimes, the name will be quite similar. If you are trying to get a tax break through charity, do your homework.
- Phishing emails – The IRS does not send threatening emails. See phone scams.
Tax preparers can also scam your business
Your tax preparer should never charge you a percentage of your refund. You should never hide money in an offshore bank or falsify income. If your tax preparer suggests that you file false documents, run, don’t walk to a professional CPA.
[clickToTweet tweet=”If the tax shelter your advisor is suggesting sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” quote=”If the tax shelter your advisor is suggesting sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”]
You are responsible for everything on your tax return, even if someone else advised you to do it. Your tax preparer should be willing to explain every number on the tax form to you. Don’t try to cut costs with your tax preparation. It’s just not worth the fines and penalties, the headache and the stress, and the worry about whether you’ll get caught.
Know who is giving advice
Use a local CPA or tax preparer with the credentials to handle your business. Know what you’re sending in to the IRS. Use the small business resources from the SBA and IRS to understand your taxes and avoid being scammed. You can also report fraud to the IRS and work with the government to get your taxes in order.
