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Investigators in Greenwich issued an alert regarding the latest round of phone fraudsters, who have alleged to be from the Internal Revenue Service, attempting to invoke immediate payment of allegedly overdue taxes.
According to officials, the scammers have been calling local residents, claiming that an arrest is imminent if payment is not made immediately through the purchase of pre-paid debit cards and gift cards.
Officials noted that the IRS will not call residents over the phone to demand immediate payment and do not accept non-traditional forms of payment. They noted that "there are dozens of scams and confidence tricks that fraudsters use, but the goal is the same: they want to steal your money." In response, local police departments offered a handful of tips for local residents to avoid becoming a victim:
- Never give your personal or bank information to anyone over the telephone, unless you know who you are talking to and the company they work for, and you are engaged in a willing and voluntary transaction;
- Don't give in to pressure to take immediate action;
- Hang up on suspicious phone calls;
- Verify information before taking action; ask family members or trusted friends for help.
"Scammers often work by wire transfer. If you are asked to wire money, it is probably a scam."
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