The Indiana Attorney General is warning Hoosiers about a new phone scam where people claim to be representatives of the Internal Revenue Service. More than two hundred Indiana residents have filed complaints in the last few weeks.
Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office says the scam has cost people $5 million nationwide this year alone.
Someone claiming to be from the IRS or the U.S. Treasury Department tells consumers they owe tax money and demands payment immediately, threatening to issue a warrant for their arrest otherwise.
Zoeller says the scammers can spoof the IRS number on caller I.D. and may be able to recite the last four digits of the consumer’s social security number.
The AG’s office says Hoosiers should immediately hang up and contact the IRS themselves to confirm the call is real. If it’s not, people should report the scam to the Attorney General’s office.
