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March 5, 2026

Tax Scams

FineMark Bank
FineMark Bank
Tax Scams

Video Title: Tax Scams
Recorded Date: March 3, 2026

Every tax season brings a wave of phone calls that sound, urgent, official and sometimes frightening. The Federal Trade Commission is already reporting a sharp increase in scams, where callers claim you owe back taxes and must act immediately. So let’s just start with the most important takeaway right up front. If someone calls you out of the blue offering to help fix the tax issue, hang up.

Chances are high this is a scam. Here’s how it often works. Scammers may introduce themselves using names like Tax Resolution Oversight Department. They sound legitimate and they may even leave a voicemail warning. It’s their final attempt to reach you. But that sense of urgency is a huge red flag. They’ll claim your taxes are overdue and offer to connect you to a so-called tax resolution officer.

They might say this person can run a red flag check, or help you apply for a special program to reduce what you owe. But the truth is, these programs don’t exist. They’re simply trying to scare you into acting quickly before you have time to think. Once that happens, they’re hoping you’ll hand over sensitive information like your Social Security number, bank details, or even pay an upfront fee for fake tax relief.

So remember this. The IRS does not make surprise phone calls. If you owe taxes, the IRS will contact you by mail first. They don’t call tax relief threatening voicemails demanding immediate action. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Don’t engage press any buttons and don’t call back. Never share your personal information with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly, including Social Security numbers, bank information, or verification codes.

If you’re concerned about your tax status, go directly to irs.gov or use the phone numbers listed there to verify. Never use a number provided by someone who is called you. At FineMark Bank and Trust, a division of Commerce Bank. Helping you protect your financial life goes beyond managing your accounts. It includes helping you avoid the kinds of fraud that can cause real financial damage.

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Hang Up on Unexpected “Back Tax” Calls. Here’s Why.

Every tax season brings a wave of phone calls that sound urgent, official, and frightening. But it’s always good to have a refresher course. The Federal Trade Commission is already reporting a sharp increase in scams where callers claim you owe back taxes and must act immediately. Let’s start by saying, if someone calls you out of the blue offering to help you fix a tax issue, hang up. More than likely it’s a scam.

Here’s how it may work. The scammers may introduce themselves using names like “Tax Resolution Oversight Department” or “Tax Mediation and Resolution Agency.” They sound legitimate and may even leave voicemails warning, “This may be our only attempt to reach you.” That sense of urgency is the first red flag.

They’ll tell you your taxes are overdue and offer to connect you with a so-called “tax resolution officer” who can run a “red flag check” or help you apply for a special IRS program to reduce what you owe. None of those programs exist. The story is designed to push you into giving up sensitive information like your Social Security number, bank details, or paying an upfront fee for fake tax relief.

Here is the most important thing to remember:

The IRS does not make surprise phone calls.
If you owe taxes, the IRS will contact you by mail first. They do not call, text, or leave threatening voicemails demanding immediate payment. If you receive one of these calls hang up. Do not engage. Do not press any buttons. Do not call back.

Also, never share personal or financial information with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. That includes Social Security numbers, bank information, or verification codes. If you’re concerned about your tax status, go straight to IRS.gov or use the phone numbers listed there to call and verify. Never use a number provided by someone who called you.

At FineMark Bank & Trust, a division of Commerce Bank, protecting your financial life goes beyond managing your accounts — it includes helping you avoid the kinds of fraud that can quietly do real damage. When in doubt, pause, verify, and ask. We’re always here to help you sort out what’s real and what isn’t.

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