IRS scam, widespread in Pennsylvania, reported in Lehigh Valley

The Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, headquarters building is seen April 13, 2014, in Washington, D.C.

(AP File Photo)

An IRS scam reported to be widespread in Pennsylvania has hit the Lehigh Valley region, a resident said.



Bill Seachrist said he got a call Wednesday morning at his Coopersburg home from someone purporting to be the nation's tax agency. He was told he owed money, and to call a number on his cellphone and remain on the line while he went to a convenience store to wire over money.



Seachrist played along, but drove instead drove toward the Coopersburg police station in the hopes an officer could record the exchange.



The scammers hung up, he said: "They caught on that I caught on."



Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane on Monday said her office was continuing to receive reports about the telephone scam. Con artists are using aggressive tactics to try and convince residents to provide payment over the telephone for money allegedly owed to the IRS, she said.



"Scams like this always pick up around tax season," Kane said in a statement. "Consumers can avoid falling victim to scammers by remembering never to share personal or financial information over the telephone to any unsolicited callers," Kane said in a statement. "The IRS sends written notification by mail of any tax due and will not request credit or debit card information over the phone."



The caller may seem legitimate by referencing a consumer's personal information that is not publicly available, but was most likely obtained illegally, Kane warns. This information may include:

The last four digits of the victim's Social Security Number.

Information about the consumer's family members.

The scammers may also spoof the IRS' telephone number or that of law enforcement or other government entities on Caller ID, or send bogus emails that appear to be coming from the IRS.



The caller may pressure consumers to take action, and may even threaten imminent arrest. Kane advises consumers to remain calm, hang up the phone. Never fall victim to phone scams by wiring money or to providing information from Green Dot Moneypak or other prepaid cards, Kane said, or give sensitive, personal or financial information over the phone, especially in response to an unsolicited telephone call.



Kane also recommends reporting the scam to local law enforcement; the state Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555; online to the federal Treasury or to:

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Hotline

P.O. Box 589 - Ben Franklin Station

Washington, DC 20044-0589

800-366-4484

Consumers can verify their tax status directly with the IRS by calling 800-829-1040.



Kane said that according to the IRS, the agency will never:

Call taxpayers about taxes they owe without first sending an official notice by mail.