Yonkers Officials Warn Residents Of IRS Impersonators

YONKERS, N.Y. -- Yonkers Police officials are warning residents about a phone scam where individuals call homes pretending to be the Internal Revenue Service.

Joe Jenkins

04/04/2014 5:00 a.m.

The callers demand immediate payment from the victims via pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.

IRS officials also stated the perpetrators often know the last four digits of the victims’ Social Security numbers and threaten arrest, deportation and removal of driver’s licenses — something the IRS is not authorized to do.

The IRS generally contacts taxpayers first by mail or with personal visits by field agents, and the agency does not accept credit card information by phone, according to IRS officials.

There are no known cases in Yonkers of victims who actually made payments, but residents are warned to use caution and forward the details of this scam to friends and family, particularly the elderly who may be susceptible to this type of fraud.

Residents who feel they have been targeted by this scam should contact the Yonkers Police Department Detective Division Fraud Unit at 914-377-7732.

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