An IRS telephone scam has been reported in the Latta area, according to Chief Crystal Moore.
According to a report by PFC Russell G. Hubbard, Jr., someone reported to the Latta Police Department that he had been a victim of a telephone scam
Someone called the victim and told him that he owed the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) $950 and gave him details about his personal information. This made the victim think that this person was an employee of the IRS. The victim sent $950. He then told the victim that he owed $1296 in court charges, but he spoke with an accountant who told him not to send any more money.
An IRS Consumer Alert describes this scam in the following manner:
“An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.
“Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
“Or, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information.
“If the phone isn’t answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.
“Note that the IRS will never: 1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency 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; or 5) threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.”