U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) called for vigilance on Tuesday amid reports of scammers posing as IRS agents to obtain personal information from their victims.
Local law enforcement officials joined Meehan at an event held in his home district on Tuesday to warn about IRS scams. The Ridley Township Police Department has received more than 50 reports of scams from would-be victims in the last month alone.
“These scams are growing increasingly prevalent and increasingly sophisticated,” Meehan said. “While the federal government works to crack down on these scam artists, there are some prudent steps consumers can take to ensure they don’t fall victim to a scam. The IRS estimates some $20 billion will be lost to scams over the next five years.”
Sensitive information like credit or debit card numbers should never be given out over the phone, Meehan said, and suspicious phone calls and emails from anyone claiming to be representing the IRS should be immediately reported.
“By exercising caution and vigilance, consumers can avoid becoming victims,” Meehan said.
The IRS will not demand immediate tax payments over the phone or require that tax payments be made using a specific method. The IRS also won’t threaten to have police arrest a taxpayer for failure to pay, as scammers often do, according to the IRS website.