The Arlington County Police Department is warning the public about an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) telephone scam targeting residents.
Citizens have reported receiving unsolicited phone calls from individuals fraudulently claiming to be members of the Arlington County Police Department, Arlington County Sheriff’s Office or the Internal Revenue Service. These individuals accuse the victims of owing money to the IRS which must be paid immediately using iTunes gift cards, or other means. The caller remains on the line while the victim purchases the payment and provides the card number over the phone.
In some cases, scammers have falsified the information transmitted to the victim’s Caller ID display to disguise their identity as the non-emergency police line. Citizens should not rely on their Caller ID to verify the credibility of the call or give out personal information in response to unsolicited calls.
If residents receive such a call, hang up with the caller and verify the claim by calling the non-emergency police line at 703-558-2222. Do not use a phone number provided from the caller to verify their credibility.
If residents find that they were a victim of a scam or were a target, file an online police report at http://police.arlingtonva.us/online-police-reporting-system/or call the non-emergency police line at 703-558-2222. Residents may also report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.
For more information about fraud, contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit at FinancialCrimes@arlingtonva.us.