VPPD warns residents of IRS scam

Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue reported an IRS scam targeting citizens in this area.
The Ville Platte Police Department has received reports of citizens being targeted by phone and the callers identify themselves as IRS agents and tell them that they owe money for their amended tax return. They use an app that alters the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. They use fake names and fake badge numbers and if the GPS on your phone is on during this call, they can use the GPS to get information.
According to the IRS, there have been over 90,000 complaints to date, and they have identified approximately 1,100 victims who have lost an estimated $5 million from these scams.
These callers are sometimes angry and threatening on the phone to try and scare you into doing what they want. They threaten to freeze your accounts and that your assets will be seized. They also state that they will go to your residence and bring a warrant for your arrest.
They will try to make you send them money in two different ways:
•If you have a smart phone and your GPS is on, they use GPS on the phone to locate a bank near you. They direct you to that bank where they ask you to deposit whatever amount they say that you owe.
•Another option they offer is to use your Social Security number and credit card number to pay it over the phone.
Neither of these is a practice used by the IRS.
The following numbers are the most recent numbers used. If you see any of these numbers be aware and do not answer:
•800-829-4477 – This is an actual IRS number that was spoofed, which means that they used an app to make their number show up as the actual IRS number. If this number calls your phone, you can hang up the phone and call it back to speak to a true IRS employee to see if you were being contacted.
•202-407-7243 – being used as an office number direct line to a male who uses different names and IRS badge numbers each time you call.
The IRS reminds people that they can know pretty easily when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam. The IRS will never:
1. Call you about taxes you owe without first mailing you an official notice.
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.
5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Additionally, it is important for taxpayers to know that the IRS:
•Never asks for credit card, debit card or prepaid card information over the telephone.
•Never contacts a taxpayer by email.
•Never insists that taxpayers use a specific payment method to pay tax obligations.
•Never requests immediate payment over the telephone and will not take enforcement action immediately following a phone conversation. Taxpayers usually receive prior notification of IRS enforcement action involving IRS tax liens or levies.
Potential phone scam victims may be told they owe money that must be paid immediately to the IRS or they are entitled to big refunds. When unsuccessful the first time, sometimes phone scammers call back trying a new strategy.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here’s what you should do:
•Hang up
•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 TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484.
•If you’ve been targeted by this scam, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their “FTC Complaint Assistant” at FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.
Taxpayers should be aware there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.
Lartigue reminds citizens that being aware can prevent you from being a victim. These warning signs listed above can help you protect yourself from these scammers. Call the IRS to report the phone number and information if you receive one of these calls. This information helps the government track these scammers and warn others if their patterns change.
If you believe that you have been a victim and have deposited money into an account for people claiming to be from the IRS, please contact the Ville Platte Police Department.
If you have any information on illegal activity in the city limits of Ville Platte you are urged to call the Ville Platte Police Department at 363-1313. Your call will remain anonymous and providing tips can help remove offenders from our streets.