Since the start of the tax season residents in the central Florida viewing area have been receiving phone messages that claim the IRS is preparing a lawsuit against them.
By all accounts the calls come by day and night, are usually recorded and never mention the tax payer’s name address or Social Security number.
News 6 viewer Michael “Bear” Jordan says he received 6 IRS calls in two weeks area codes included 202 (Washington D.C.) and 346 (Houston, Texas).
Jordan says the recorded messages are intimidating, announcing there is a “lawsuit pending “ against him.
“You see one or two you dismiss it," Jordan says, “ But then you get four, five, six more and …you start thinking in your mind maybe I might owe them some money.”
News 6 viewers reported receiving similar threatening messages from a variety of cities since the start of the new year.
As of Monday, calls have been reported from several area codes including: 202 (Washington, D.C.), 346 -Houston, 414 (San Francisco) and the newest on the list: area code 206 (Bainbridge Island, Washington.)
The IRS is aware of the scammer calls and says the agenda for the impostors is always the same; they want money.
The IRS website offers this statement:
“Note that the IRS will never: 1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill; 2) demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe; 3) require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card; 4) ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or 5) threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.”
For more information go to the IRS website.