HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen warned Connecticut residents on Tuesday about scammers pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service.
Jepsen and other state officials said there was a recent uptick in the number of complaints from residents about the aggressive scam phone calls. The scam artists tell potential victims that they owe money that must be immediately paid to the IRS. The callers claim the victims could face arrest from the FBI or from local police if they fail to pay.
"This is a version of a common scam where the caller uses threats to try to get money, and Connecticut residents need to be very aware that this is not a legitimate phone call," Jepsen said. "Government agencies - including the FBI and the IRS - do not call people on the phone or send emails to demand money or threaten arrest. If you get this call, hang up, and never send the caller money."
The scam mainly targets low-income and non-English speakers because the scammers seek victims too afraid to refuse to pay or report the crime. Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William Rubenstein said recipients should hang up on the scammers and notify their local police department.
Other IRS scams involve email, text and social media requests for personal and financial information.
Jepsen warns of IRS scam
