IRS phone scam sweeping area

Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper is warning citizens about a phone scam with callers claiming to be the Internal Revenue Service.

He says someone is calling people saying they need to pay a certain amount, usually up to $500, or go to jail.

“They’re hitting older people,” he said. “Some of the people they’ve called are older, and we’ve gotten several complaints about it in the last few days.”

He says if you owe the IRS money, the federal agency is not going to call on the phone. They will send a bill in the mail.

“Please do not give any personal information such as checking account numbers, credit card numbers, because it is a scam,” he said. “If the IRS wants you, they are going to come get you.”

According to officials with the IRS, they will not call you to demand immediate payment. They will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending a bill in the mail. They also will not:

• Demand that you owe taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe,
• Require that you pay your taxes in a certain way – for instance requiring you pay with a prepaid debit card.
• Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone, or
• Threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.
• If you do not owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, the IRS recommends that you do not give out any information. Hang up immediately. Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report the call. Also report it to the Federal Trade Commission.