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IRS phone scam using the Ridgewood Police Departments phone number

IRS Scam

file photo by Boyd Loving

December 19,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Residents have reported that the latest round of IRS phone scams is spoofing the Ridgewood Police Departments phone number to make it appear that the call is coming from the Ridgewood Police.

How it works and what you can do to protect yourself.

Scammers make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email.
Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money.

Scammers often alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.

The IRS will never:

* Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
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* Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
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* Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
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* Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
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* Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
* Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
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* Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” webpage. You can also call 800-366-4484.
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* Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:
* Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.
Stay alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure. Tax scams can happen any time of year, not just at tax time. For more, visit “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” on IRS.gov.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.

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Ridgewood Resident Gets Fleeced for $6000 in IRS Phone Scam

PhoneScam

March 22,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on March 16, a Ponfield Place resident reported a theft by deception. The resident reported receiving a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the I.R.S. The caller reported the victim owed $6000 and needed to pay immediately or they would be arrested. The victim was instructed to purchase sixty iTunes gift cards to bring her account up to date. The victim then purchased sixty $100 gift cards and the caller requested the serial numbers, the victim then scratched off the back portion of the gift cards and provided all the serial numbers. The victim realized shortly thereafter the call was a scam and reported the incident to the iTunes theft department, the victim was then advised to report the incident to the Ridgewood Police Department before they would further their investigation.

The Ridgewood Police Department once again would like to remind citizens of the increased amount of scams. Always investigate communications made through postal mail, telephone, and/or the internet to prevent fraud and deceptive activity. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Ridgewood Police Department to ensure you’re not becoming a victim of these scams.

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N.J. woman sentenced to probation for role in IRS phone scam

irs

JANUARY 29, 2016, 5:19 PM    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016, 5:27 PM
BY KIM LUEDDEKE
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

An Indian national was sentenced to probation Friday and will likely be deported for her role in an IRS scam that authorities said netted thousands of dollars from unwitting victims.

Nikita Patel, a slight, girlish-looking 25-year-old who wore her hair pulled back in a long ponytail, did not address the court Friday. Her attorney, Rajinderpal Singh Sandher, said she had no prior criminal history and was willing to cooperate with any further investigation.

Frauds like the one perpetrated by Patel seem to be an “endemic problem,” said Superior Court Judge Susan J. Steele. She ordered Patel, who is in the United States on an expired visa, to serve three years’ probation for a charge of money laundering.