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News Release on IRS Scam--2/17/16

N E W S R E L E A S E
Tuesday, February 16, 2016

 

Sheriff Gerace Warns about IRS Scam -- Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph A. Gerace advised that numerous County residents are still receiving calls from individuals who are claiming to be from the IRS. Some of the calls are somewhat intimidating and demand a call back immediately. The callers are either demanding payment or trying to obtain personal information. Sheriff Gerace warns residents not to give out any personal information or make a payment to these callers and recommends you hang up on them. The scammers are asking people to call a phone number in response. Do not call this number.

 

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen issued a press release stating:

 

“These telephone scams are being seen in every part of the country, and we urge people not to be deceived by these threatening phone calls,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. “We have formal processes in place for people with tax issues. The IRS respects taxpayer rights, and these angry, shake-down calls are not how we do business.”

According to the IRS release:
 

There are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.

The IRS will never:
 

1. Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
2. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
3. Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
4. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
• If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.
• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1.800.366.4484 or atwww.tigta.gov.
 
Reported By
Sheriff Joseph A. Gerace  jg@sheriff.us
Assisted By