Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office Warns Of IRS Phone Scams

This tax season the IRS may not be your biggest enemy. Instead, scammers posing as the IRS and making threats to get your money are ramping up again.

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department recently posted this warning on their Facebook page saying scammers are claiming they are from the Sheriff's Office calling on behalf of the IRS and you need to contact them or face arrest.

“Get in touch with an officer as soon as possible and take care of this matter before you will get arrested,” said one scammer on a recorded call.

The IRS said taxpayers across the nation are facing a deluge of these types of aggressive phone scams. The phone calls are generally the same with someone claiming they're from the IRS trying intimidate you into paying them immediately.   

Britt Smith received a couple calls in recent weeks.

“There's a certain amount we're going to need you to clear this either by a check, or we can take money through a credit card,” Britt recalls the caller saying. “Did you know that if you don't pay this we can put a lien on your checking account, put a lien on your house.”

The IRS said victims across the country have collectively paid over $26.5 million as a result of the scam, prompting various law enforcement agencies and other groups to send out warnings.

The AARP has recently launched this campaign to warn their members.

The IRS said they will never call to demand immediate payment, ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or demand a specific type of payment such as a prepaid debit card.  And they won't threaten to have you arrested for not paying.

Click here to learn more about phone scams.

Britt said the scammers were convincing and he can see how people can get suckered in he's just glad he didn't.

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office said in many cases the scammer even spoofs their main number to make the call seem legitimate.