Palos Park police are warning residents to be wary of telephone scams after a rash of reports from people about getting calls from persons claiming to be Internal Revenue Service employees.
Police Chief Joe Miller said five residents reported attempted IRS-related scams in a 24-hour period leading into Wednesday afternoon.
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Callers told victims they owed the IRS money and needed to send a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer quickly or face arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license, Miller said in a statement.
He said the con game is frequently reported around the country. Callers often sound convincing, giving fake names and IRS badge numbers and altering the number that appears on caller ID to make it appear that the IRS is calling, Miller said.
A caller might also claim the victim is owed a refund to try to get them to reveal personal information, the chief said, and may become hostile or insulting if the victim doesn’t cooperate.
“Hang up, do not speak with or engage these criminals in any way,” Miller said in the statement.
He stressed that the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment, require a specific method of paying taxes, ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or threaten to have other law enforcement agencies arrest someone over unpaid taxes.