Phone scam demands thousands of dollars

Almost every week, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department receives a few calls regarding illegal phone solicitations, spokeswoman Judy Jackson said.

The Internal Revenue Service is warning North Texans to be on the lookout for scammers.

“This scam is not uncommon”, wrote Lt. Tom Murdoch with the sheriff’s office in a press release. The caller claims to be an IRS agent and the person owes back taxes.

Authorities are asking residents to be vigilant after they received dozens of reports of a particularly menacing scammer.

The Internal Revenue Service has outlined this elaborate scam on their website.

” “…the IRS wouldn’t contact you in that way. They are attempting to get personal information for future fraud. The phone number that shows up is 323-522-4789.

The best way for Hoosiers to know whether a call they are receiving is a scam is by registering their number on the Do Not Call list, Zoeller said. The caller commonly tries to pressure the recipient of the call into giving them money and either threatens them with arrest from local law enforcement or a hardship for a loved one, if they do not comply.