This is a reminder to the Citizens of Austin County that IRS Scams are still happening. Please do not fall for this scam and remind your friends and neighbors that do not read the newspaper or have internet.
Remember, the IRS WILL NOT CALL anybody! If someone calls saying that they are with the IRS, hang up and call the nearest IRS office. They will tell you that no one from their office has tried to contact you. Residents are losing considerable amounts of money to this scam. Once the money is wired, you cannot get it back.
Throughout the year, scammers are working overtime trying to get your money in a continuing phone scam. The Internal Revenue Service reports sophisticated IRS impostors are calling people and demanding immediate payment, sometimes impersonating local law enforcement and threatening with immediate arrest unless you send money due in back taxes you supposedly owe.
Here’s how this IRS phone scam works:
The scammers use phone spoofing to make their number come up as “IRS” and they already have the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, both making their call seem legitimate.
Here are some other tactics to watch for:
- They use common names and fake IRS badge numbers
- They send bogus IRS e-mails to support their scam
- They call a second time claiming to be the police or Department of Motor Vehicles, and the caller ID again supports their claim
You are told to submit payment either by wire or prepaid debit card. According to IRS officials, many have already been swindled out of $5 million.
Again, the IRS WILL NOT contact you by phone asking for money. They will only contact you by US Mail. If you receive one of these calls, hang up.
