The IRS said they are aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents.
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Seaside Police discovered that the call is coming from a number in Australia. They may also recite the last four digits of a Social Security number or send bogus emails to victims.
The scammers are calling and claiming to be someone from a government agency like the IRS or Department of Treasury.
“Any time disaster strikes, scammers come out of the woodwork and they try to take advantage of people’s charitable feelings and need to help”, said IRS Spokesperson Luis Garcia.
This latest spin on the largest IRS phone scam in history, which generates the most citizen reports to the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, is further proof of the ingenuity of these scammers and the mayhem they have caused.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued a consumer alert about possible fake charity scams emerging due to severe flooding this month in South Carolina and neighboring states.
“I got one, actually two calls, in the past week, of a different variety and again they’re to my cellphone and they’re a few guy wanting to fix my computer”, Hayden said. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.
Do not give out any information. And report the call to the local authorities. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting ” web page. Scams may involve solicitations by telephone, social media, website, email or in-person.
The IRS recommends donating to recognizable, well-known charities and being tired of charities that use names similar to nationally known organizations. Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or your closest office.
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The IRS warns tax cons can happen any time of the year, not just during tax season.
