Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today reminded consumers to be aware of the signs of the pervasive "IRS scam," which continues to target law-abiding citizens in Rhode Island and across the nation.
Attorney General Kilmartin noted that his office has recently noticed an increase in calls from Rhode Islanders who had been contacted by the scammers posing as IRS agents. The caller typically threatens an individual with arrest for nonpayment of taxes and demands immediate payment over the phone.
According to a recent report, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has "received reports of roughly 896,000 contacts since October 2013 and has become aware of over 5,000 victims who have collectively paid over $26.5 million as a result of the scam." TIGTA has stepped up its efforts to educate the public on how to spot the scam with the release of a new public service announcement, available in English and in Spanish.
For more information about the scam, including how to handle the scam if you are targeted, and where to report it, click here.
