990WBOB
  • WBOB Radio
  • Past Casts
  • F Bomb Friday
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • About
    • WBOB Press Releases
    • Join Our Team!
    • CHARITY GALA

50+ Rhode Islanders Alert AG of New “IRS Scam” Calls

10/30/2015

Comments

 
Picture
​After receiving more than 50 calls today from consumers reporting that they had been contacted by the IRS, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin is reminding consumers that it is a scam, and he is providing tips to help people avoid falling victim to what has become one of the most persistent scams ever to hit Rhode Island.
 
If you get a call from someone who claims to be with the IRS asking you to pay back taxes, here’s what you should do:
  • Hang up!  
  • Call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.
  • Never provide any bank account or other personal or financial information to a person or company that you don't know.
  • Do not wire money to a person or company you don't know.
  • Do not give the caller money using a pre-paid debit card.
  • Alert the Office of Attorney General by calling the Consumer Protection Unit at 401-274-4400.
  • According to many consumers who have reported the scam to the Consumer Protection Unit at the Office of Attorney General, the calls appear to be from 509 or 206 area codes.   The calls are being received on traditional land lines and cell phones, and if they don’t reach a person on the phone, the scammers will leave a voicemail indicating they are calling from the IRS and need to speak with the person immediately. 
 
The scammers are known to threaten arrest, driver’s license suspension, a lawsuit, or even deportation if payment for back taxes allegedly owed is not made immediately. The callers demand that payment be made in the form of a pre-paid debit card, wire transfer, credit card, or authorized bank account withdrawal. Several consumers have reported the scammers will get rude, aggressive and even use vulgar language in hopes of scaring the consumer into paying.
 
“No matter if the area code is 509, 206 or even 401, the number one give away that the call is a scam is that the IRS won’t call out of the blue to ask for payment, won’t demand a specific form of payment, and won’t leave a message threatening to sue you if you don’t pay right away,” said Attorney General Kilmartin.  “We have seen these scammers escalate their aggressive behavior, which is very concerning as some folks, especially seniors, may fall victim to this type of approach. It is important that those with senior parents, relatives or neighbors share with them how this scam works and what to do if they receive a phone call from these scammers.”
Comments

    WBOB
    Original
    ​Reads

    Picture

    Unbiased, Unfiltered. WBOB's Original Reads feature our brightest and boldest personalities, offering their two-cents on the goings on of news, sports, politics, entertainment, and business. -- Are our opinions always PC? Nope. Are they always perfect? Nah. But, are they always 100% authentic? Absolutely!


    LISTEN
    ​TO WBOB ORIGINAL PODCASTS

    Picture
    Listen to
    ​Past BOBCasts

    WBOB 
    Best Reads
    Brought To You By
    TripAdvisor.com

    Picture

    Celebrating David Clyde: A Wild Passionate Friend To All


    Picture

    Search 
    The Archives


    Reads From Our Friends

    Picture

    The Best Game Development Tools: How to Make Your Own Game


    Contact Us
    info@990WBOB.com


Search For Your Favorite WBOB Author,
​or BobCast

990WBOB 
An Independent Media Outlet.

The views opinions and thoughts expressed do not  reflect those of 990WBOB, its management or its staff. All Rights Reserved 990WBOB.com 2007-2020
​
Contact WBOB HERE

WBOB Reads

Weather

Live BOBCasts

Past Casts

Contact Us

Join Our Team!

Featured Supporters

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Photo used under Creative Commons from nzhamstar
  • WBOB Radio
  • Past Casts
  • F Bomb Friday
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • About
    • WBOB Press Releases
    • Join Our Team!
    • CHARITY GALA