On June 2, 2017, Wayland Police received a report from a local woman that she had been scammed out of more than $10,000. An investigation revealed that the woman had received a phone call from a man on May 27th who purported to be an I.R.S agent. The man stated that he was with the Tax and Audit Division of the Washington D.C. I.R.S. Building. He gave the woman a phony badge/I.D. number and name.
The woman was threatened with a possible arrest if she did not make payment. Concerned that she may be in legal trouble with the I.R.S., the woman sent Target gift cards in the amount of $11,400 to the man over two days. Once she realized that she had been scammed, a report was made to the police, however, by this time the gift cards had already been redeemed.
Police remind residents that the I.R.S. will never:
- Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.
- Demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.
- Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.
- Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.
Anyone who is unsure if they are possibly being targeted for a potential scam can contact the Wayland Police Department for advice and assistance.
Submitted by the Wayland Police Department
