Tax Scam Alert
Over the past several weeks, hundreds of Fairfax County residents have received phone calls from scammers who tell them “Your driver’s license has been suspended. You will be arrested. You will be deported. We are on our way to your home right now.” These are just a few of the many threats that scammers are making, and Fairfax County police are warning the public NOT to fall prey to these scammers and to notify the police of these criminal incidents.
According to a recent news release, these telephone scammers are described as “demanding, aggressive, threatening, and easily angered when callers don’t immediately agree to their demands of “overdue tax balances.” Some complainants have described the suspects as having a heavy accent. Typically, callers demand between $4,000-$6,000 in immediate payment of unpaid tax bills. These scams are sophisticated and involve false names, numbers and “IRS” badge numbers. Suspects often continue to call and harass the recipient.
Police urge residents to:
- Contact IRS if you feel there is any discrepancy with your tax bills.
- Use these numbers to contact IRS if you feel you are being scammed: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Telephone-Assistance
- Be skeptical if someone asks/demands you owe taxes and must pay with a Green Dot Moneypak.
- Report suspicious or harassing calls to police online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/120413citizenreportingsystem.htm
- Remember, once money has been wired/sent, it is typically impossible to recover.
At the Fairfax and Fredericksburg Elder Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C., we encourage you to stay informed about this and other scams. More information on common scams may be found at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/financialcrimes/commonscams.htm. Please also read our recent article, “Beware of Deed Scam” for another scam affecting Virginia residents.
Keeping up with scams that are affecting consumers is important. It is also very important to keep up with your planning. If you have not done Incapacity Planning, Estate Planning, or Long-Term Care Planning, or if you have a loved one who is nearing the need for long-term care or already receiving long-term care, please contact The Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C. as soon as possible at our Virginia Elder Law Fairfax office at 703-691-1888 or at our Virginia Elder Law Fredericksburg office at 540-479-1435 to schedule your appointment for our introductory consultation.