Oceanport police: fake IRS scam being reported

Oceanport — The Oceanport Police Department has received reports related to a telephone scam in which the caller purports to be an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representative. Police warn residents to be careful if they get such a call.

Using intimidation tactics, the caller tries to take control of the situation from the beginning. The caller claims that the IRS has charges against them and threatens legal action and arrest. If the recipient questions the caller in any way, the caller becomes more aggressive.

The caller continues to intimidate by threatening to confiscate the recipient’s property, freeze bank accounts, and have them arrested and placed in jail. The reported alleged charges include defrauding the government, money owed for back taxes, law suits pending against the recipient, and nonpayment of taxes.

The targets of the scam are told it would cost thousands of dollars in fees/court costs to resolve this matter. The caller creates a sense of urgency by saying that being arrested can be avoided and fees reduced if the recipient purchases MoneyPak cards to cover the fees
within an hour.

Sometimes the caller provides specific instructions on where to purchase the MoneyPak cards and the amount to put on each card. The caller tells the recipient not to tell anyone about the issue and to remain on the telephone until the MoneyPak cards are purchased and the MoneyPak codes are provided to the caller.

The caller will also sometimes state that if the call is disconnected for any reason, the recipient would be arrested.

Some people reported once the caller obtained the MoneyPak codes, they were advised that the transaction took too long and additional fees were required.
Call recipients, who are primarily immigrants, reported that the caller spoke with broken English or stated the caller had an Indian
accent.

Oceanport police say if you receive a call similar to this follow these tips:
• Resist the pressure to act quickly.
• Report the contact to TIGTA at www.treasury.gov/tigta by clicking on the red button, “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting.”
• Use caution when asked to use a specific payment method. The IRS would not require a specific payment method such as a MoneyPak card or wire transfer.
• If you feel threatened, contact your local police department. In its latest of many alerts, the IRS says it will never call (or email) to demand immediate payment or call you about taxes you owe without first having mailed a bill.

Nor will the IRS demand you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount you allegedly owe or require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes – for example, a Green Dot MoneyPak or prepaid card.

The IRS also never asks for credit or debit card numbers over the phone, or threatens to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Nor does the agency tell you where you can go to take a loan to pay your taxes, or call out of the blue to ask you to share your Social Security number.

The real contact number for the IRS – the information you can call to ask about your taxes — is 1-800-829-1040.