Scam Alert: Fake “IRS Calls”

Scammers continue to target taxpayers in Connecticut by representing that they are from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Consumers should NOT give in to their bogus demands.

Government agencies – including the FBI and the IRS – do not call people on the phone or send emails to demand money or threaten arrest. The IRS contacts people via letter, and does not demand that you immediately transfer money or send a prepaid debit card to pay taxes.

Any call or email supposedly from the IRS or FBI – or even a utility company — that demands immediate payment or threatens arrest is bogus, and should be treated as such.

• If you get a call from the “IRS” demanding money, ask for the caller’s name and telephone number, and then hang up the phone, and notify your local police department immediately.
• Do not confirm or give the caller any personal or financial information, and never send the caller money.
• The IRS does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

If you are worried that a call from the IRS is real, contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 or go to www.irs.gov.

Fraudulent emails purporting to be from the IRS should be forwarded to [email protected].

If you become a target of this scam, it’s also helpful to file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov, and add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.

Consumers with questions can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Unit at 860-808-5420, the Department of Consumer Protection at 1-800-842-2649 or the Department of Revenue Services at 860-297-5962.

Thank you!