New IRS phone scam nets $1 million from thousands of ‘unsuspecting’ people
It will be no surprise that there’s a new IRS scam, but federal authorities stated on Thursday that the nationwide phone scam has already stolen $1 million from thousands of unsuspecting people.
The caller claims to be an Internal Revenue Service representative and tells “intended victims they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer,” an IRS inspector general office said.
“The scammers threaten those who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver’s license.”
The IRS has received more than 20,000 reports about the scam.
J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration, called it “the largest scam of its kind that we have ever seen.”
According to the inspector general, IRS officials typically first reach out by mail rather than phone, and don’t demand immediate payment by debit card, credit card or wire transfer.
The IRS said people who receive such calls or other suspicious requests should contact the IRS.
IRS fraud is an increasing problem and Rashia Wilson made headlines as the “First Lady of Tax Fraud” before being caught and sentenced to 21 years in federal prison – check out Rashia’s story HERE