MONROE - The Green County Sheriff's Department is warning people to be wary of a recent phone scam claiming to demand money for the IRS.
According to the IRS, the deception is the most common tax scam of 2015, and although scammers usually target vulnerable people such as immigrants or senior citizens, they can target anyone - even Green County Sheriff Mark Rohloff, who received a fraudulent IRS call earlier this month according to the department's Facebook page.
Despite their prevalence, only a handful of these scams have been reported in Green County in the past six months, said Chief Deputy Thomas Moscynski.
"People should report them," Moscynski said. "But the most important thing to do is to hang up."
Moscynski said this IRS scam uses a very aggressive, threatening message that demands people give them the money they "owe" within a very short time. This strategy is intended to frighten its victims into acting quickly without thinking, Moscynski said.
"When any kind of "immediate action' is required, that's a red flag," Moscynski said.
Citizens who receive suspicious calls or emails from the IRS should always check with the IRS themselves before taking action, Moscynski said.
However, people shouldn't use a number or website provided by the suspicious contact, Moscynski said, as scammers frequently create convincing false websites and phone numbers that often serve to con users out of more money or information.
The IRS website lists a number of ways people can tell the difference between an official contact and a scam.
The website promises that the IRS will never demand immediate payment, not provide an opportunity to appeal the amount owed, require a specific payment method, ask for card numbers over the phone, or threaten to notify police for failing to pay.
According to the IRS, the deception is the most common tax scam of 2015, and although scammers usually target vulnerable people such as immigrants or senior citizens, they can target anyone - even Green County Sheriff Mark Rohloff, who received a fraudulent IRS call earlier this month according to the department's Facebook page.
Despite their prevalence, only a handful of these scams have been reported in Green County in the past six months, said Chief Deputy Thomas Moscynski.
"People should report them," Moscynski said. "But the most important thing to do is to hang up."
Moscynski said this IRS scam uses a very aggressive, threatening message that demands people give them the money they "owe" within a very short time. This strategy is intended to frighten its victims into acting quickly without thinking, Moscynski said.
"When any kind of "immediate action' is required, that's a red flag," Moscynski said.
Citizens who receive suspicious calls or emails from the IRS should always check with the IRS themselves before taking action, Moscynski said.
However, people shouldn't use a number or website provided by the suspicious contact, Moscynski said, as scammers frequently create convincing false websites and phone numbers that often serve to con users out of more money or information.
The IRS website lists a number of ways people can tell the difference between an official contact and a scam.
The website promises that the IRS will never demand immediate payment, not provide an opportunity to appeal the amount owed, require a specific payment method, ask for card numbers over the phone, or threaten to notify police for failing to pay.