The 2015 tax season recently kicked off and residents have already reported incidents of fraudulent activity, Anchorage police say.
Police are warning residents of a “tax scam.” At least 10 calls came in today from residents that have received “fraudulent phone calls and messages from someone claiming to represent the ‘IRS,’” according to a release from the Anchorage Police Department.
“With each of the cases reported today, a caller accuses the citizen of owing money and threatens with arrest or other negative consequences if the citizen fails to take immediate action,” APD says.
According to information published by the actual Internal Revenue Service, contact with taxpayers won’t be made in the form of an unexpected phone call. An initial warning will be sent through the mail. The IRS will also not initiate contact with taxpayers via email, text or social media to ask for payment.
None of the callers who reported the scam have agreed to comply with the caller’s demands, APD says.
The IRS expects to receive about 150 million individual income tax returns this year. The deadline to file returns and pay any tax due is Apr. 15.
To file a tax scam complaint, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website. More information about this scam and others is available here.