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Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine
Ohioans Report
Spike in “IRS” Imposter Scams
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today warned that
his office has seen an increase in reports of the IRS imposter scam, in
which con artists tell consumers they are in trouble with the
IRS.
Between Nov. 18 and Nov. 25, the Ohio Attorney General’s Help Center
received more than 600 reports of the scam, about three times as many
as the previous week.
“Many people hear the word ‘IRS’ and are scared to death,” Attorney
General DeWine said. “If you get one of these calls, hang up and take a
moment to think about it. The real IRS isn’t going to call you
demanding immediate payment.”
Most consumers who report the IRS scam to the Ohio Attorney General’s
Office do not lose money, but nationally, nearly 4,550 victims
collectively have paid over $23 million as a result of the scam since
October 2013, according to the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax
Administration.
The scam generally begins with a phone call or voicemail message
telling the consumer that he or she is in trouble with the IRS and must
call a certain phone number for more information. When consumers call
the provided number, they are told they must send money using a prepaid
card or wire transfer to correct the problem. Ultimately, any money
sent will go to a scam artist, not the IRS.
In some recent variations of the scam, the con artist claims to be
“David Gray,” and tells consumers that a lawsuit will be filed against
them, that they owe a tax debt, that they have committed a criminal
offense, or that the U.S. Treasury will come to arrest them.
Tips for consumers to avoid tax-related phone scams include:
Don’t trust threatening callers. If you receive an unexpected phone
call from someone who threatens to arrest you for not paying taxes,
it’s almost certainly a scam. Also, don’t trust someone who demands
that you pay immediately via wire transfer or prepaid card. These are
preferred payment methods for scam artists.
Don’t respond to illegal robocalls in any way. Don’t interact with the
caller, and don’t call a number left on your phone or in a message.
Responding to a scam call can result in even more calls because it lets
con artists know that your phone number belongs to a real person.
Look into call-blocking options. Check with your phone carrier and
third-party services to determine whether call-blocking services could
help you stop unwanted calls.
U.S. Treasury or IRS impersonation scams can be reported to the
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at
www.treasury.gov/tigta or 800-366-4484.
Consumers also can contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office
atwww.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515 for assistance.
Audio of a reported “IRS” scam call is available on the Ohio Attorney
General’s website.
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