Moraga PD Warns Residents of Widespread Scam

From the Moraga Police Department:

We have been receiving reports of scam calls from people posing as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents, asking for telephone payments for “overdue” taxes. They offer credit card, Western Union or Green Dot reloadable credit cards for payment.

Some scammers also send e-mails and use caller ID devices to make the call appear legitimate. The IRS does not call about past-due taxes – they DO send letters via US Mail and they will never ask for payment by wire-transfer or pre-paid card.

The advice from IRS Inspector General J. Russell George is, “Do not engage with these callers. If they call you, hang up the telephone.”

Also from the IRS, “If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and uses threatening language if you don’t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really is not the IRS calling.”

The callers who commit this fraud often:
• Utilize an automated robocall machine.
• Use common names and fake badge numbers.
• May know the last four digits of the victim’s social security number.
• Make caller ID appear as if the IRS is actually calling.
• Send bogus IRS e-mails to support their claim.
• Call additional times claiming to be the police or DMV and the caller ID supports this claim.

DO NOT SEND FUNDS!

If you owe federal taxes or think you may owe federal taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS staff can help you with your payment or tax questions.

If you don’t owe taxes, fill out the IRS Impersonation Scam form on TIGTA’s website (www.treasury.gov/tigta) or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484.

You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov. Add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments in your complaint.

If you have sent money, you may contact the listed resources. Also, you may contact our Dispatch Center at 925-284-5010 and inform them of the incident. An officer will contact you to gather the information, including date/time, any phone numbers, credit card number used, dollar amount sent and any other relevant details. Please save any e-mails received (if you did send money) to allow us to review those at a later time.

You only need to contact the Moraga Police Department if you actually sent funds. Unfortunately, these scams often originate overseas and it is nearly impossible to identify the suspects. However, the Moraga Police Department continues to work with the IRS and other law enforcement agencies to fight these crimes and protect our citizens.

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