"Do not become a victim:" BBB warns you about IRS scams

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers about calls from the “IRS” saying they owe money which needs to be paid promptly.

Ron Hoth, CEO and President of the BBB said in a news release, "Do not become a victim...This is an aggressive phone scam in which callers use scare tactics in an attempt to get your money. They may sound convincing when they call, but it’s a scam. Don’t fall for it."

The scam has been making the rounds throughout the country, including Wisconsin. Typically, callers use fake names, may leave “urgent” voicemail messages and use “caller ID spoofing”, which deliberately alters or disguises the identity of a caller.

Recipients of these calls and victims alike report that the scammers state you have unpaid taxes and demand immediate payment in the form of a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer. They threaten arrest, deportation, or loss of a business or driver’s license, if payment is not made.

Being called the “largest ever” telephone fraud scam targeting innocent taxpayers, the IRS has been posting warnings for months alerting the public about callers posing as Internal Revenue Service representatives in an effort to defraud.

The IRS will never call to demand immediate payment, or request payment without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe, It also does not ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer, and doesn’t make threats such as deportation or arrest.