Phone Scammers Claiming to be IRS, Jury Duty Enforcers Are Targeting Greenwich

Greenwich Police received seven reports of attempted IRS and jury duty phone scams on Thursday.

According to police spokesman Lt. Kraig Gray, “Greenwich Police wants to remind all residents there are all different types of scams out there that may on the face of it, sound legitimate. But people have to remember the federal government won’t require you to send money via Western Union or a gift card. They’re not going to come to your house to arrest you or make you comply.”

Locally, police receive complaints of attempting ‘phishing’ or telephone scams nearly every day. It just seemed that Sept. 25 was an unusually busy day with seven reports. “And those are just the ones we were called about,” Gray said. Callers explain may explain that there may be a delinquent tax bill owed to the IRS or that prosecution can be avoided for missing jury duty but wiring money or mailing gift cards. “Quite often once that money is sent, it’s gone … it frequently goes overseas and is impossible to track,” Gray said.

“Fortunately, most of our residents are intelligent enough to recognize a scam, but in a moment of weakkness, the most intelligent person can be seduced by these professional scammers who have their script down and sound convincing,” Gray explained.

The scammers are so professional, that you can’t rely upon your telephone’s caller ID, according to an advisory from the Federal Trade Commission.

According to the advisory, “Your caller ID says “FTC” or “IRS,” and the phone number has the “202” Washington, DC area code. You might even look the number up and see that it’s a real government phone number. But the person calling isn’t really from the FTC, IRS, or any other agency. It’s a government imposter whose goal is to convince you to send money before you figure out it’s a scam. The big giveaway? The caller wants you to send money.”

What imposters might tell you

A lot of imposters pretend they’re with the government to scare you into sending money. They say you owe taxes or some other unpaid debt, and, hoping you’ll panic, warn that you’re about to be arrested if you don’t pay up. Before you can investigate, you’re told to put the money on a prepaid debit card and tell them the number — something no government agency would ask you to do.Other scammers promise you money — a big prize you need to claim. They say the FTC or some other agency is supervising the sweepstakes, and that the money will be released as soon as you pay for the shipping, taxes, or some other expense. But it’s all a fake. There is no prize and no money.

What you should know

•Federal government agencies and employees don’t ask people to send money for prizes or unpaid loans. The FTC doesn’t supervise sweepstakes, and when the IRS contacts people about unpaid taxes, they usually do it by postal mail, not by phone.

•Federal government agencies and employees also don’t ask people to wire money or use a prepaid debit card to pay for anything. Prepaid cards and money transfers are like sending cash — once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.

•You can’t rely on caller ID. Scammers know how to rig it to show you the wrong information (aka “spoofing”). Scammers might have personal information about you before they call, so don’t take that as a sign they’re the real thing. If you’re not sure whether you’re dealing with the government, look up the official number of the agency. That way you know who you’re talking to.

Who you can tell

•You can file a complaint with the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint under “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If it involves the IRS, add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

•IRS imposter scams also can be reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online or at 800-366-4484. If you think you owe federal taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 or go to irs.gov.

The best advice, should you receive a call — just hang up!

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