I.R.S. Scam

The San Mateo CA Police Department reports:

UPDATED SMPD MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY ALERT REGARDING I.R.S. PHONE SCAMS

As we previously reported in July of last year, SMPD continues to receive numerous reports of phone scams involving aggressive callers posing as members of the IRS requesting payment for alleged back taxes. For your information, the IRS never requests payment over the phone. All notifications for taxes owed are made via written notification from the Internal Revenue Service.

The majority of these scams, if not all, involve subjects calling from outside of the area and more often from outside the United States. In order to ensure these scams are appropriately investigated, thus increasing the likelihood of the responsible suspects being located and prosecuted, the Inspector General of the U.S. Treasury Department has set up an online reporting system. This is for reports of all phone scams whereby callers pose as representatives of the I.R.S.

In cooperation with the I.R.S. and to honor their request to keep a centralized reporting system for these incidents, the San Mateo Police Department does not take reports of these phone scams unless extenuating circumstances dictate otherwise. Instead, you will be referred to the I.R.S. so that your report is handled appropriately and becomes part of our collaborative investigative efforts with the Internal Revenue Service. Anyone wishing to report such a scam may use the link below.

http://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact report scam.shtml

Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Internet Crime Complaint Center accepts online reports of any and all similar scams or frauds that occur over the internet whether it be a website or via email.

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

The F.B.I. also maintains a database online of the current “E-Scams” as reported via the Internet Crime Complaint Center. This is a great resource to keep you and your family informed and protect your assets.

http://www.ic3.gov/media/default.aspx

Lastly, the F.B.I. also offers an extremely informative webpage that is packed full of resources to protect you and your family from phone scams, internet scams, identity theft, postal fraud, and more.

http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud

Remember: if it doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t! Have faith in those little hairs on the back of your neck and TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! In the coming days, SMPD will be introducing to our community a new resource designed to keep our community members informed about these and other types of scams.

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Sent by San Mateo, CA Police Department
200 Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403

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Robert Riechel

Photo Credit: San Bruno Patch Archives

Source Credit: San Mateo CA Police Department

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