Crooks used to rob people by mugging them as they walked down the street and stealing their wallets and purses.

Nowadays they call victims on the telephone or contact them via email. They may be raiding credit card accounts via PayPal, but, even though they’ve abandoned strong-arm tactics, the end result is the same: your empty pockets.

IRS phone scam

Last week, Liverpool Police Chief Don Morris said that the widespread Internal Revenue Service phone scam first reported two years ago is still going strong.

“We’ve had several residents contact the police department about the IRS scam as well as other phone scams,” Morris said. The chief himself has received calls from these tenacious telephone con artists. “I, too, continue to receive these calls on my personal phones,” he said, “the IRS scam, student loan scam and credit card scams.”

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is wise to the crooks and warns citizens to remain vigilant. “Scammers will always try to get their hands on your money, the AG said. “Remember, never give your personal or financial information to people who contact you… no matter who they claim to represent.”

How it works

In the IRS scam, the caller claims to be an agent or police officer from the IRS calling about a past-due tax balance. The caller will tell the victim that unless the debt is paid immediately, a team of officers will arrive at the victim’s home that day to arrest the victim or that a warrant has already been issued for their arrest.  The caller may also threaten jail time, deportation, driver’s license revocation or call repeatedly leaving “urgent” messages that becoming increasingly threatening and insulting. The scammer will also request that the “IRS tax warrant” be paid with a Green Dot Card Money Card, PayPal Prepaid MasterCard or Western Union MoneyGram.

These sophisticated scammers often use caller ID spoofing so that the victim’s caller ID box says “Internal Revenue Service.”  Sometimes scammers already possess sensitive personal information such as Social Security and driver’s license numbers. In other cases, they’ll ask victims for personal information such as a Social Security number in order to commit identity theft.

The attorney general issued a consumer alert in mid-March reminding New Yorkers to protect themselves against recurring government “imposter” phone scams. These scams often target seniors, students and first-generation Americans.

Federal authorities have assured citizens that the IRS never calls to demand immediate payment; they’ll mail you a bill first. The IRS also doesn’t demand you pay taxes without allowing you to question or appeal the amount.

The IRS won’t ask you to pay using a prepaid debit card and won’t ask you for credit card information over the phone.

And, no matter what taxes you may owe, the IRS won’t threaten to have you arrested.

Kidnapping con

In January, one phone scam took an ugly turn in the city of Syracuse. A male caller told his victims that one of their loved ones had been injured and was being held hostage. He ordered them to bring him money or wire him funds through Western Union, threatening to harm the hostage if his demands aren’t met.

Consumers who have received calls from phone scammers are encouraged to file complaints by visiting ag.ny.gov or calling 1-800-771-7755. They may also contact the U.S. Treasury Inspector General at 1-800-366-4484.

For information, visit ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-schneiderman-reminds-consumers-be-alert-against-phony-government-collection-phone or ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/IRS_Scam_Brochure.pdf.

Village tour Thursday

A Local History Spectacular event begins at 6 p.m. at Liverpool Public Library on Thursday, June 16, with a walking tour of the village conducted by Village Historian Dorianne Elitharp Gutierrez.

The tour will be followed by a reception featuring the library’s digital and nondigital local history resources and local history groups will be on hand to talk about what they do to preserve Liverpool’s rich local history; lpl.org.

The columnist can be contacted at [email protected].