Residents targeted in 'IRS' scam

Saratoga Chief of Police, Tom Knickerbocker, said his department has received phones calls off and on about the IRS calling residents in Saratoga. It has been happening since Christmas, Knickerbocker said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Crime Complaint Center has received reports of a telephone scam, according to a document from the FBI provided by Knickerbocker.

According to the document, the caller advises the recipient of the call that the IRS has charges against them and threatens legal action and arrest.

If the recipient questions the caller, the caller become more aggressive, the FBI document said.

Threats of confiscating property, freezing bank accounts and having the recipient arrested are made.

The caller provides specific instructions on where to purchase the MoneyPak cards and the amount to be put on one card.

The FBI has these recommendations if a call is received.

• Resist the pressure to act quickly

• Report the contact to Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at http://www.treasury.gov/tigta by clicking 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.

The FBI document said that the call recipients have been primarily immigrants and the caller spoke with broken English, or had an Indian accent. In some cases the caller said that if the recipient disconnects the call for any reason the recipient would be arrested.

 

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