DUBOIS – The state police at DuBois would like to warn residents of both Clearfield and Jefferson counties about tax scams occurring in the area.
For example, state police received a report about an Internal Revenue Service impersonation scam Monday. This telephone scam occurred in Snyder Township, Jefferson County.
According to state police, these “aggressive and sophisticated” telephone scams target taxpayers and have been “making their rounds throughout the county.” Callers claim to be IRS employees but are not.
“They sound convincing when they call,” said state police. “They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They know a lot about their targets and usually alter caller IDs to make it look like the IRS is calling.”
State police said the caller tells victims that they owe money to the IRS and must pay through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, the caller advises they’ll be arrested, deported, etc. or that their business or driver’s license will face suspension.
In other cases, callers try to trick victims by saying they have a refund due but need private information. “In many cases, the caller will become hostile or insulting,” state police said.
If calls go unanswered, scammers will leave an “urgent” call back request, according to state police.
The state police have outlined tips to help residents prevent from becoming a victim of an IRS tax scam.
- The IRS will never call to demand immediate payment. The agency also will never call about tax payments without first sending a bill by mail.
- The IRS will never demand paying taxes without giving an opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
- The IRS will never require a specific form of payment, such as a pre-paid debit card.
- The IRS will never request debit or credit card numbers over the telephone.
- The IRS will never threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement agencies to arrest for non-payment.