Point Pleasant Woman Receives Upsetting Scam Messages

Ocean County residents should beware of suspicious telephone callers claiming to be from the IRS or the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy said.

The IRS and the Sheriff’s Department will never call and ask for money, he said.

“I want Ocean County residents to be aware that scammers are becoming more sophisticated with their use of technology and the calls may seem very real,” Mastronardy said. “Never give a caller your personal information or make payment over the phone.”

A 39-year-old Point Pleasant woman called the Sheriff’s Department on Monday to report she had received calls from people claiming to be IRS agents and the Sheriff’s Department demanding nearly $5,000 in payment for back taxes.

Ocean County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Valerie Seiser investigated and found that the victim was called by a man who gave his name as Eric Watson, who said he was from the Internal Revenue Service. The caller told the woman an audit was just completed on her 2008-2013 Tax Returns and it was determined she owed $4,985.26.

The caller then told her how to make a cash payment transfer and how to obtain a IRS receipt. Shortly after the first call, another person who identified himself as Undersheriff William T. Sommeling said if the payment was not forwarded, officers would be coming to place her under arrest, Mastronardy said.

Seiser’s investigation of the caller ID determined that the call came in on one of the Sheriff’s Department lines,.

The IRS usually notifies taxpayers by mail, Mastronardy said.

Mastronardy recommends residents contact their local police department or the Sheriff’s Department at 732-929-2044 if they receive such calls.

Photo credit: Ocean County Sheriff’s Department