FCSO Warns Residents To Be Aware Of IRS Phone Scams This Season

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Flagler County, FL - The Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) is warning residents to be aware of potential IRS phone scams as the holidays approach and tax season gets closer. The FCSO Communications Center has responded to several phone calls this week from citizens who said they received calls, supposedly from the IRS, telling them to "pay up or be arrested." The department wants to alert everyone that these types of phone calls are most likely scams, and residents should never give out personal information to these callers. “IRS scams have been going on for years, and they usually pick up as tax season approaches,” says Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “These scams are attempts to access your bank accounts and personal identification information. Educate yourself so that you do not fall for these scams.” Thousands of people have lost millions and have fallen victim to identity fraud as a result of tax scams, according to irs.org. The IRS website also states that IRS "doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media channels to request personal or financial information.” If you do get a call coming from someone claiming to be IRS asking for personal information, you are advised to hang up immediately. You can report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484. You can also report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. You can also contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 if you have questions or think you may owe taxes. Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.