SCAM WARNING!

Police have received reports of a phone scam where the caller identifies themselves as an agent or officer from the Internal Revenue Service. The caller threatens to arrest the victim unless they are paid and then asks for bank account, credit card or gift card account numbers. Caller ID shows the number begins with a Washington D.C. 202 area code. The callers have been known to leave messages on voicemails asking for a return call.

If you receive a similar call or message and are unsure if it’s legitimate, the IRS advises you to:

1) Ask for a call-back number and employee badge number.

2) Contact the IRS to determine if the caller is an IRS employee with a legitimate need to contact you.

3) If you determine the person calling you is an IRS employee with a legitimate need to contact you, call them back.

Click here for additional tips on protecting yourself from being the victim of scams and identity theft.