Local law enforcement is working together to assist area residents in dealing with scams being perpetrated in our area. Carroll Police Chief, Brad Burke, says his department has fielded two complaints this week and Carroll County Sheriff, Ken Pingrey, has been notified by local attorneys that people are being told they owe the IRS money and they need to provide their tax information and payment. The most typical victims, the elderly, are told that they will be arrested or have their license revoked if they don’t comply. Both Pingrey and Burke remind listeners to remember these important points:
- The IRS will never call you about taxes before contacting you by mail
- They will never demand payment over the phone or by a specific method
- They will never threaten to send in local law enforcement or other agencies to have you arrested
- They will never demand payment without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount you owe
If you get such a call, hang up and do one of the following:
- Notify your local law enforcement agency, or
- Call your tax preparer or the IRS at 800-829-1040, or
- Go to treasury.gov and fill out a scam report
Another common scam being seen in the area has callers saying they are minutes away from delivering a new car and a large sum of money. All it takes to collect, they say, is cash wired to a specific location by Western Union. Again, Burke and Pingrey say if you get a call like this hang up, and remember, if it sounds too good to be true…it is.