March 28, 2024

Newton Police Department warns of IRS Phone Scam

Newton residents have been receiving calls from someone claiming to be the IRS and requesting the individual call the phone number provided or they could face an IRS Lawsuit. Many of these calls are automated but some are a live person. Do not respond to these calls, they are a scam.

The IRS will always send taxpayers a written notification of any tax due via the U.S. mail. The IRS never asks for credit card, debit card or prepaid card information over the telephone.

If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here’s what you should do:

• If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue — if there really is such an issue.

• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you’ve never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.

• You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

Information retrieved from www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Reiterates-Warning-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam.

The NPD encourages the public to be vigilant against phone scams and not give any personal information without proper verification. If you have any questions, contact the Newton Police Department at 641-791-0850.