Iowans are being reminded to beware of phone calls from someone claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service.
One of the would-be scammers called a radio station in southwest Iowa recently and the entire call was recorded. “Sir, the reason behind the call is to inform you there is a lawsuit filed against your name by the IRS regarding the tax evasion,” the caller said. “Are you aware about this lawsuit before?” When the radio station employee said no, the caller began with the scam.
“We came to know there were some miscalculations, some errors in your tax filing,” the caller said. “I’m not blaming on you that you’ve not paid your taxes. I know you pay your tax regularly, but the amount you’re filing as your tax was not correct. You were filing some of the wrong amounts which you actually have to pay to the government as your tax.” The caller didn’t like being questioned.
“I want to notify you that this line are being recorded and monitored by the IRS,” he said. “Please do not interrupt me and listen to me very carefully. Once I complete my part, after that, I will give you time to ask me the question, but until that time, you have to listen to me very carefully.”
The scammer claimed the IRS was owed nearly $3,900 which needed to be paid immediately. Upon being informed he’d called a radio station and that the conversation was being recorded, he hung up. Iowans are warned to not give this sort of caller any personal information and to just hang up. The IRS does not conduct business this sort of business on the phone. It’s done by mail.
(By Jordan Armstrong, KSIB, Creston)