Wave of IRS scams targeting South Lake Tahoe residents

Another wave of aggressive and threatening phone calls by people identifying themselves as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is making its way across South Lake Tahoe.

On Friday, two dozen citizens either called the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, or stopped by their office, to alert them of the phone calls.

Many of the illegitimate IRS callers have been known to use threats and bullying tactics to intimate the resident, many of them senior citizens, into thinking they have to pay immediately via wire transfer or pre-paid debit cards. No legitimate IRS agent will demand money over the phone.

Do not give these callers money as they are scams. If you receive, don't return their call. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Department suggests you tell the caller that you will be contacting law enforcement as you are aware they are a scam.

This scam is not uncommon, but with some recipients still paying the impersonators across the county, warnings are still necessary. For more information, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml

Another recent scam hitting taxpayers are calls from scammers under the guise of verifying tax return information over the phone.