IRS scam prompts warning from state

Tis the season to watch out from telephone scams.

Multiple residents reported receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service.

In a recording of the call, a man with a slight accent said they were from the Internal Revenue Services and that the resident should call or face possible arrest.

In another a person called saying a lawsuit was being filed; in another someone was threatened with arrest.

Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto encourages consumers to be aware of potential fraudulent phone calls from scammers posing as Internal Revenue Service workers. The scammers aim to collect sensitive information and money from victims.

“Nevadans should become familiar with techniques the fraudulent callers may use,” said Masto. “Understanding the techniques used and how the scam works will prepare consumers to avoid being scammed should they receive such a call.”

When an individual posing as an IRS agent calls, the caller ID may show that the call is coming from an IRS office and the caller may already have access to sensitive personal information, such as the last four digits of social security numbers. The fraudulent caller informs the victim that a warrant has been issued for his or her arrest then threatens the victim with arrest unless an outstanding balance is immediately paid. The fraudulent caller may provide a separate phone number for the victim to call and make a payment; the scammer may also demand the payment is made using a prepaid credit card.

Report IRS Fraudulent Calls

If you suspect that you have been contacted by a fraudulent IRS scam it is important to take steps to protect your information and report the incident following these steps:

If you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS employees can help you with a legitimate payment issue.

If you know you don’t owe taxes or if you have not been sent a bill and have no reason to think that you owe any taxes then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.

If you have been targeted by this scam, you should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.

Residents are reminded not to provide personal or financial information to someone who calls them on the telephone or to send money without knowing who they’re sending it to.