In the past few days the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has seen a dramatic increase in the number of calls from consumers who have received calls from scammers posing as IRS officials. The Rockford 911 Center reports that they have seen a similar surge in calls from residents.
All callers to the BBB report, whether the calls are answered or received as a voice mails, are very threatening in nature. They say they have been threatened with legal action, foreclosure, and jail.
Dennis Horton, director of the BBB’s Rockford Regional Office says “Today we’ve received calls at a rate of two or three every ten minutes.” While they are only taking reports the 911 Center says their concern is that their calls from residents have come mainly from the elderly.
Horton added, “It’s a good guess to say the increased activity with this scam is prompted by the fact that the scam works.”
Consumers should be aware that according to the IRS, the agency never contacts taxpayers by phone asking for money. They also never contact taxpayers by email. If there is an issue with the IRS that requires response, the contact would be made by U.S. mail.