IRS Scam Surfaces In The Quad Cities, Here’s How To Protect Yourself

A IRS scam has resurfaced in the Quad Cities and has been reported in Rock Island County. “Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling,” said a recent advisory from the Davenport Police Department.

How to Recognize It

The IRS will never call you directly and demand money. They will always mail you a bill before they call you about any money you may owe them. They will never ask you to use a specific payment method or demand direct payment during the phone call. The IRA must also give you a chance to dispute or appeal any amount you owe.

What To Do About It

If you think you’re the target of an IRS scam call, you can report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.  “If you think you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040,” the police statement said. “The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue, if there really is such an issue.”

If you are a Davenport resident and you are the victim of fraud where money has been taken, report it to Davenport Police at 563-326-7979.

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