Thousands of people across North Carolina have gotten calls from individuals claiming to be Internal Revenue Service employees, according to the State Bureau of Investigation.
The callers claim someone at the residence owes money to the IRS for unpaid taxes. The callers threaten to have the person arrested and taken to jail unless the taxes are paid immediately, often resulting in a credit or debit card transaction over the phone.
In an effort to combat these calls, the IRS has stated they will never:
1. Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we 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.
5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you have received a scamming call, the IRS requests you fill out the following form on their website:
Please visit www.treasury.gov for additional information.