WASHINGTON - As tax season approaches, the Internal Revenue Service, the states and the tax industry reminded taxpayers to be on the lookout for an array of evolving tax scams related to identity theft and refund fraud.

Every tax season, there is an increase in schemes that target innocent taxpayers by email, by phone and on-line. The IRS and Security Summit partners remind taxpayers and tax professionals to be on the lookout for these deceptive schemes.

 "Whether it's during the holidays or the approach of tax season, scam artists look for ways to use tax agencies and the tax industry to trick and confuse people," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "There are warning signs to these scams people should watch out for, and simple steps to avoid being duped into giving these criminals money, sensitive financial information or access to computers."

This marks the fourth reminder to taxpayers during the "National Tax Security Awareness Week." This week, the IRS, the states and the tax community are sending out a series of reminders to taxpayers and tax professionals as part of the ongoing Security Summit effort.

Some of the most prevalent IRS impersonation scams include:

• Requesting fake tax payments
• Targeting students and parents and demanding payment for a fake "Federal Student Tax"
• Sending a fraudulent IRS bill for tax year 2015 related to the Affordable Care Act
• Soliciting W-2 information from payroll and human resources professionals
• Imitating software providers to trick tax professionals
• "Verifying" tax return information over the phone
• Pretending to be from the tax preparation industry

If you receive an unexpected call, unsolicited email, letter or text message from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here are some of the tell-tale signs to help protect yourself.

The IRS Will Never:

• Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer or initiate contact by e-mail or text message. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes.
• Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
• Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

If you get a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here's what you should do:

• Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
• Search the web for telephone numbers scammers leave in your voicemail asking you to call back. Some of the phone numbers may be published online and linked to criminal activity.
• Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their "IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting" web page or call 800-366-4484.
• Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the "FTC Complaint Assistant" on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.
• If you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040.

If you receive an unsolicited email that appears to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), report it by sending it to phishing@irs.gov.

The IRS also provides a variety of resources for tax professionals about security threats posed by identity theft issues targeting the industry through its Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself campaign.

Taxpayers and Tax Professionals can help spread the word on this week's messages using the hashtag #TaxSecurity in social media platforms.

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If you use Craigslist to buy or sell locally, you know that you have to be careful. Three new scams are hitting Craigslist. Here's what you need to know so you don't become the next victim.

After John Darr of New Albany, Ind., listed his home for sale, he began noticing suspicious activity. People were coming to his house and walking all around the property. Some were even coming right up to his front porch and peering through the windows.

Darr later learned that scammers had posted his home as a rental property on Craigslist, describing it as a cozy three-bedroom, two-bathroom house for only $600 per month. All the applicants had to do was send in their personal information, along with a security deposit.

But Darr's home was not for rent. He wasn't fully aware of what had happened until he received a strange message on Facebook.

"The message asked ... was I selling the house or was I renting the house? Because she had some concerns that somebody was running a scam with my name," Darr explained.

The Craigslist post made several false claims. One said the property owners were leaving the country for three or four years on a mission trip. The scammer offered false contact information and said he would correspond with interested applicants. Through this correspondence, the scammer was able to obtain personal information from his victims and even arrange for money transfers.

So here are some red flags. If you're unable to meet with the owner or some type of property manager at a rental property, and if no one can meet you for a tour of the home, that's one. Another is an extravagant story that explains why the owner will be away. And you should never be asked to wire money to your new landlord, especially before you've had the chance to tour the property.

If you find a property that you believe is listed as part of a scam, report it to law enforcement.

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