REDLANDS – Police are raising awareness that IRS telephone scams are on the rise, hoping the public doesn’t fall prey to phony callers as the tax deadline approaches.
Police spokesman Carl Baker said increasing reports are coming in to various agencies, warning that callers are claiming to be IRS agents, and threatening aggressive action against the victims if a bill is not paid immediately. Baker referred to an IRS website, warning that “aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain near the top of the agency’s annual ‘dirty dozen’ list of tax scams for the 2015 filing season.”
Baker said the IRS website warns potential victims that “if someone calls unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS with aggressive threats if you don’t pay immediately, it’s a scam artist calling.”
Taxpayers have rights, states the agency, and “the first IRS contact with taxpayers is usually through the mail.” Anything else, according to the IRS site, “is not how we do business.” Baker did not report any arrests. An IRS release instructed possible victims not to engage the people over the phone. One police agency said that reports will be taken only if there has been a crime committed.
Scammers are able to alter caller ID numbers to make it seem as if the IRS is calling, using fake names and bogus IRS badge numbers. They often leave urgent callback requests, preying on the most vulnerable people, including elderly, newly arrived immigrants and those whose first language is not English.
Scammers, according to Baker’s release, “have been known to impersonate agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation as well.” Callers may demand money, or might say a refund is due and try to pry private information away from potential victims.
According to the IRS website, the IRS will never engage in the following:
• Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
• Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
• Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If anyone should receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS asking for money, contact the IRS (1-800-829-1040) to clarify any owed taxes. If anyone receiving a call doesn’t owe taxes or have any reason to believe they do, report the incident at 1-800-366-4484, or at tigta.gov.
Read More:
IRS: Tax scams/consumer alerts
IRS: 5 easy ways to spot suspicious calls
