Victims are told that they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid immediately through a pre-loaded debit/credit card or wire transfer. One of the phone numbers calling residents in our area is 772-647-3800.
FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick Police Department would like to warn consumers about a phone scam targeting taxpayers. Victims are told that they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid immediately through a pre-loaded debit/credit card or wire transfer. One of the phone numbers calling residents in our area is 772-647-3800.
The IRS reminds people that they can know pretty easily when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS WILL NOT DO. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.
The IRS will never:
1.Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
2. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
3. Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
• If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at (800) 829-1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.
• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at (800) 366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.
• You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.