Tip of the Week - March 16, 2016 - Beware of Scammers Posing as the IRS

Tax season is here and so are the scam artists who prey on unsuspecting people by calling their homes and cell phones and claiming to be from the IRS or United States Department of the Treasury .  These scammers make claims about outstanding tax bills due and aggressively demand cash, pre-paid debit cards, or wire transfers under the threat that their victim will be arrested.

"The IRS and the Treasury Department don't operate that way," said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) Foundation Chairman Kenny Ehrman. "Hang up the phone on these shameless individuals.  The federal government sends tax information and bills by mail, they not send officers to handcuff you."

The IRS does not:

·        call to let you know you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail,

·        require you to pay your taxes with a pre-paid debit card, 

·        threaten to have law enforcement officers make an arrest.

Report any suspicious calls involving this matter to the IRS.