The Internal Revenue Service has warned people not to follow advice they see on social media. Among the things to avoid is a new trend that encourages people to overstate their withholdings in hopes of – falsely – boosting their refund.

Filing the bogus claims could cost someone thousands and even land them in jail.

Dubbed the “overstated withholding scam,” the scheme circulating on social media encourages people to fill out their W-2 form, Wage and Tax Statement or other forms like Form 1099-NEX or other 1099s with false income and withholding information.

There are multiple variations of the overstated withholding credit scheme, including those involving Forms W-2 and W-2G; Forms 1099-R, 1099-NEC, 1099-DIV, 1099-OID and 1099-B; as well as the Alaskan Dividend Fund, Schedule K-1 with Withholding Reported, and Unspecified Source of Withholding Credit Claimed.

READ MORE: IRS issues warning: Avoid this or you could face criminal charges

The scam suggests people make up large income and withholding amounts, as well as a fake employer that is supposedly paying those amounts. Scam artists then instruct people to electronically file the bogus tax return in hopes of getting a substantial refund due to the large amount of fraudulent withholdings.

The idea the IRS will greenlight a big refund based on the bogus return is wrong, the agency stressed.

If the IRS cannot verify the wages, income or withholding credits shown on the tax return, the refund will be held pending further...

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