Phone scams have become a persistent and pervasive problem for many taxpayers. Scammers are able to alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS is calling. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration knows of nearly 3,000 phone-scam victims who have collectively paid over $14 million since Oct. 13. Individuals should be reminded that the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment, call about taxes owed without first having mailed a bill, or require use of a specific tax payment method, such as a prepaid debit card. For more information, visit the IRS’s tax scams consumer alert webpage here: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts