People posing as agents from the Internal Revenue Service are continuing in efforts to scam people out of money.
IRS imposter scams continue to be among the most commonly received complaints at the Office of the Indiana Attorney General Consumer Protection Division even after the tax season has ended.
The scammers demand money and threaten legal action through phone calls. The caller tells the victim that he or she owes money to the IRS. Personal information may be revealed to the victim which is a tactic used to make the scam more believable. Money demands and legal threats are then used to scare the victim to giving in to the scam.
The IRS will never demand immediate payment. The government agency will not call about taxes owed without first having mailed out a notice or bill. An opportunity to question or appeal the amount a taxpayer owes is given by IRS officials and they will not require a specific payment method for taxes. The IRS will not ask for credit or debit card information over the phone. Legal threats won’t be delivered by agents over the phone.
Attorney General Curtis Hill urges residents to not answer phone calls from an unrecognizable number. If the phone call is answered and threats are made, simply hang up. To report these calls, call 1-888-834-9969 or follow this link to report calls online.
