BIR cautions taxpayers vs fake revenue officers

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has warned taxpayers of the modus operandi of some unscrupulous persons posing as revenue officers from the agency. This warning came after the BIR’s Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Operations Group had received reports that some revenue officers are threatening legitimate business establishments to be subjected to surveillance if they do not disburse money. One of the reports from a taxpayer included a document that requested him to allow “revenue officials to monitor his business for 15 days," the BIR said. “Upon verification by the taxpayer, the document turned out to be bogus. The alleged signatory said he never issued the document," the agency added. The BIR said the “revenue officers" turned out to be impostors who showed fake BIR identification cards. Deputy Commissioner Nelson Aspe asked taxpayers to be vigilant and to immediately report such incidents to the agency. “When certain that the whole thing is a scam, call for assistance from concerned barangay officials. In this instance, a ‘citizen’s arrest’ can be made for the offense of ‘usurpation of official functions,' which is punishable under the Revised Penal Code," Aspe said. — JE, GMA News