Phone calls from ‘IRS’ are a scam

The Bartonville Police Department has responded to several Fraud/Forgery calls for service during the past week.

These calls involve fake IRS personnel calling the victim and advising them that they have failed to pay their taxes properly and owe the U.S. government “X” amount of dollars.  The victims are also asked for personal identifying information.

The victim is offered a settlement and then asked for payment.  In one case the “settlement” was paid in thousands of dollars in Apple gift cards.  In this particular case, even the number on the caller ID was the main IRS phone number but the caller was obviously not an IRS employee.

The coercion used many times is the threat of immediate arrest and agents being sent to the victim’s residence or business. Read more here.

If you owe money to the IRS, they will send you letters but generally will not be calling you by phone.

If you receive one of these calls DO NOT give the caller any information and certainly DO NOT give them access to your financial accounts or pay them anything.  Hang up and contact the IRS personally.

Be smart and protect yourself.