Home » Paducah Police Department warns residents about IRS telephone scam

Paducah Police Department warns residents about IRS telephone scam

Callers say residents are being sued by IRS for unpaid taxes or tax fraud

PADUCAH, Ky. (June 25, 2015) — The Paducah Police Department has been receiving complaints this week about scam telephone calls involving the Internal Revenue Service.

Residents have told the police department that the callers say they are being sued by the IRS for unpaid taxes or tax fraud. The resident then is directed to call another number, supposedly the IRS.

The IRS states it will never:

  • Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
  • Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
  • Require you to use a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card.
  • Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  • Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

Additionally, the IRS says, if you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov.

If you have been targeted by this scam, the IRS suggests you 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.