Orange County Residents Warned of Tax Scams

From the Office of the County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus:

The deadline to file tax returns passed earlier this month, but Orange County residents should still be aware of tax scams.

Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, District Attorney David Hoovler and Sheriff Carl E. DuBois warned residents of these schemes on Tuesday due to the recent uptick in calls threatening residents with jail time if they don’t pay their taxes.

“These scammers are posing as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents or police officers in some instances and are dangerous,” Neuhaus said. “I urge Orange County taxpayers to be extra cautious about responding to any suspicious phone calls, emails and letters. These scam artists are very deceptive and may threaten you with arrest or a court action to try to get you to pay them.”

Added DuBois: “We are receiving a high volume of complaints from residents about callers claiming to be from the IRS or Treasury Department, threatening court action or arrest if they don’t pay their taxes and/or back taxes. This is not the procedure of the IRS. Residents are also receiving messages from these scammers to call them back immediately. The calls usually originate from out of state, so if you do not recognize the number, allow it to go to voicemail and don’t call back.”

According to the IRS, here are five things a legitimate agent will never do when contacting you:

· Demand immediate payment, The IRS will not call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.

· Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

· Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, including a prepaid debit card.

· Request credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

· Threaten to contact local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

If you receive a phone call from a scammer, contact the Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 or online here, and click on the IRS Impersonation Scam reporting tab. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 291-7900.

“Government agencies don’t threaten people with jail over the phone,” District Attorney David Hoovler said. “If you receive a telephone call from someone claiming to be a government official threatening some official action against you and demanding your personal information, it's almost certainly a scam and you should immediately notify the police.”

For more information, contact Justin Rodriguez, Assistant to the County Executive for Communications and Media Relations at 845.291.3255 or jrodriguez@orangecountygov.com.