10/27 – Red Bank Police Warning of Fake IRS Calls Demanding Money

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By John Burton
RED BANK – Borough police are warning the public to be aware of a telephone scam where perpetrators claim to be representatives of the federal Internal Revenue Service to defraud people.
Chief Darren McConnell said his department has received numerous complaints from residents about the scam. People get calls from individuals saying they represent the IRS with the callers aggressively insisting people owe back taxes and must be paid immediately. The callers tell people they have to purchase prepaid cards or vouchers from chain stores to make the payment.
The scammers also have threatened victims with imminent arrest if they don’t immediate pay.
The calls appear to come from a California area code but authorities suspect they are originating from outside the U.S., McConnell said.
The IRS never collects late federal taxes through telephone calls; the service contacts U.S. taxpayers through the U.S. Postal service. McConnell warns anyone receiving these calls should not provide any personal information or any payment.