A common calling scam threatening taxpayers is still circulating even after tax season. Susan Jhun filed the following NY1 for You repot.
Senior Rose Jaffe got an alarming message that confused and concerned her.
The message said, "This call is official final notice from United State Treasury. We have received a legal petition notice concerning a tax fraud against you. Before you get arrested, please call immediately on our hotline division number."
"I was shocked," Jaffe said. "I pay my bills. I pay my taxes."
Jaffe says she called the number, and a man who claimed to be from the IRS told her she owed $4,000 in back taxes and would be arrested if she didn't pay it within 45 minutes.
"I knew at that point it was a con," Jaffe said.
Unfortunately, according to the IRS, not all taxpayers are as astute.
"We've heard about 4,000 complaints that are equaling out to more than $20 million," said IRS spokesperson Patricia Svarnas. "This is probably the most pervasive scam that we've had in our history."
The IRS wants people to know that although the agency may contact taxpayers by phone, it's always regarding issues the taxpayer already knows about, and the IRS never asks people to pay over the phone. Most importantly, taxpayers should know that the IRS will never cold call using threatening tactics.
"We certainly don't call you and threaten you. We don't ask you for payment over the phone. We're not nasty to you and demanding money," Svarnas said.
"I pray that all the seniors will pay attention to this and will not turn over any information," Jaffe said.
To file a complaint, or for more information on these scams, go to irs.gov.