FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has received complaints regarding various telephone scams with the most recent complaint involving harassing phone calls from those pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Services.
The Sheriff said the scam resurfaces from time to time throughout the year. The scammer attempts to gain personal information from the victims, including threatening to take legal action to collect unpaid or overdue taxes.
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"The IRS phone scam is one of several reported telephone scams. It is important for residents to know that the IRS, banks or any government entity will not request personal information over the phone," said Sheriff James L. Manfre.
Victims are also being told that the debt must be paid promptly by a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are threatened with arrest or suspension of a business or driver's license and the caller often becomes belligerent.
Similar scams include collection agency, lottery and fraudulent or fake check scams. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here's what the IRS suggests you do:
- If you know you owe taxes or think you owe taxes, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.
- If you know you do not owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe taxes, call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.
If you have been targeted by this scam, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their "FTC Complaint Assistant" at FTC.gov. For more information, visit www.irs.gov.