Recent calls claim to be from "IRS", and claim that residents owe taxes or fines.
The IRS created a new video to warn taxpayers about recent telephone phishing scams. Click here for the video and here for other helpful tips ...
DILLINGHAM: More residents are reporting “phishing” scams on their home telephones.
Aileen Walsh says she had two messages on her home answering machine this week purportedly from the "IRS".
"The messages were unsettling to hear, as they claim its the IRS trying to call you," said Walsh. "They said we have multiple fees and fines, and that they've tried several times to get a hold of me. They really make it sound like the IRS is after you."
Unlike other apparent scams reported earlier this month, whose callers had foreign accents and sounded as though they were calling from overseas, Walsh says the messages on her voicemail sounded mechanical and were hard to hear.
"The voice sounded to me like it was computer-generated. I couldn't pick up an accent, it just sounded broken. And they called themselves the 'IRS,' and I think the IRS always refers to themselves as the Internal Revenue Service," she said.
According to Walsh, the caller never used her or her husband’s name in the message, which also seemed suspicious. She says coworkers received similar messages from someone claiming to be the IRS this week as well.
"It's just cruel. It's just something nasty to do to people, and that's sad," said Walsh.
The IRS website says aggressive phishing scams are being reported around the country. IRS says it will always notify taxpayers a written notification of any tax due via US Mail, and the IRS will never ask for credit card, debit card, or pre paid card information over the telephone. It also says it never initiates contact with taxpayers by email, social media, or text message, all of which have been used in attempted scams.
To report a phishing scam to the IRS, click here.