Police warn Va. residents of scammers pretending to be IRS

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Richmond police are warning residents of a scam involving people pretending to be IRS agents collecting overdue taxes.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/25CaHx4) police released a warning about the scam on Wednesday.

Police say the scammers call, requesting people’s credit card or bank account numbers and threaten arrest or jail time for failing to pay taxes.

Police Sgt. Brian Prendergast says they have been alerted to cases in which the caller typically has some personal information, such as a social security number, to make the call appear more legitimate.

Police say the IRS never calls citizens demanding immediate payment without having first mailed a bill.

They say none of the people they’ve talked with have given the scammers money.

Victims of this scam are urged to contact police.

___

Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.timesdispatch.com

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up