Scam Callers Targeting Lower Merion Residents: Police​

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA – Police in Lower Merion Township are warning area residents of scam callers making calls to residents, and offered tips how to avoid becoming a victim of these heartless predators.

Police said the calls have been targeting area residents with callers claiming to be IRS or other federal agency representatives.

They then threaten arrests, deportation, or other punishments for those who do not pay them with pre-paid debit cards or wire transfers.

Police said the public should never give out personal information – such as dates of birth, PINs, account numbers, passwords, and more – over the phone to whoever claims to be calling.

Should you can get a scam call, police said to contact the U.S. Treasury Inspector General at (800) 366-4484 to report such scams.

The IRS provides a list of actions it does not take that scammers try to impose on victims. Those are:

• Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail;
• demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe;
• require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card;
• ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone;
• and threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.

For more information on tax scams, visit the IRS website here.

Image via Shutterstock