When a Morton Grove woman answered her phone recently, a caller claiming to be with the IRS tax fraud division began talking about her family’s 2008-2012 tax evasion and tax fraud.
The woman felt something was amiss because her husband had a stroke in 2005 and wasn’t working in 2008-2012. The caller sounded threatening, citing a case number, stating her husband owed $3,000 and making threats about losing their home and being on the hook for nearly $100,000.
The woman called police, who told her it was a scam.
“It seems that every year during tax season, the IRS scams pop up,” said Morton Grove Police Officer Adam Tabor.
“The IRS is never going to call demanding immediate payment and threatening arrest. They always contact you first by a letter in postal mail, and give you an opportunity to appeal the amount.”
While the IRS scam is prevalent now, many types of scammers try to prey on people throughout the year, Tabor said. One of the common hallmarks is that they demand you pay in the form of a Green Dot card, which is a type of cash card available at local stores, or a Western Union payment. Some even ask you give the money to an agent of theirs who will come to your house.
That happened recently to a Niles woman, who lost thousands of dollars. On Feb. 12, she received a phone call from a Polish-speaking man who identified himself as her nephew and asked to borrow $10,000 for his business. She withdrew $7,500 from her bank, even though a teller warned her it might be a scam, and gave it to a messenger who arrived at her home. Only later, when she phoned her nephew in Poland and he told her he had never called to ask for money, did she realize she had been tricked.
“We call that the grandparents’ scam,” said Tabor. “They might call up and say, ‘it’s me,’ or ‘I’m your favorite grandson.’ Then the grandparent asks, ‘Is that you, Jeff?’ or whatever the grandson’s name is. And he answers, ‘Yes, Grandma, it’s Jeff.’ And now he’s got the grandson’s name.”
Almost always, these scammers ask the grandparent to buy a Green Dot card, and they warn the grandparent not to tell their parent, lest they get in trouble.
Tabor also warned of the lottery scam, in which scammers announce you’ve won a great deal of money but have to pay taxes on it before you can claim it—naturally, with a Green Dot card.
“Legitimate contests are never going to ask for money up front,” he said.
Tabor told seniors, especially, to be wary of anyone who comes to their door and pretends to be a village inspector or handyman and tells them they need to show them a problem with their water connection, or some other thing in their homes. When the first scammer takes the senior down to the basement to show them the “problem,” a second scammer enters through the unlocked door and cases the house for cash, jewelry and electronics.
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If an unknown person knocks at your door, talk to them through a window or through a locked screen door, Tabor advises. You do want to let them know you’re home, but don’t let them in. Do call the police to advise them of the incident, he said.
Tabor and fellow Morton Grove Police Officer Gina Lietz say they have spoken with managers of local stores which sell Green Dot cards and asked them to have their cashiers aware that they are often used in scams.
The officers have put up warnings on the police department’s Facebook page, and will give a presentation on avoiding scams at 11:45 a.m. April 14 at the Morton Grove Civic Center, 6140 Dempster Street, Morton Grove. They will also discuss how to prevent identity theft.
Tabor said he’s aware that many of the crimes, such as the distraction burglaries, spring from people’s natural inclination to be friendly.
“But you have to be a little bit suspicious these days,” he said.
Tabor can be reached at (847) 663-3804 with questions or for more information.
Pam DeFiglio is freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.