The Hightstown Police Department has issued a warning to residents regarding telephone scammers posing as Internal Revenue Service agents.
The callers identify themselves as the IRS, stating the need to pay thousands of dollars in back taxes, face fines, or they will contact local police who will be sent to arrest them. Callers will request that immediate payment be made through Money Gram, Western Union, or any other type of money wiring establishment.
The Hightstown Police Department does not provide enforcement services for the IRS nor does it solicit monies from public citizens for any means, especially by telephone.
Cracking down on fraudulent telephone solicitations is difficult for police because the calls are often generated from Google phone numbers or other internet-based phone numbers and are normally located out of state, or out of the country.
Residents that are selling items on Craigslist, Ebay, or other internet websites are also being targeted. Residents are contacted with interest in purchasing the item(s) for sale and a check is sent to them well above the sale price of the item(s). Residents are then advised of the mistake, promised monies for their inconvenience and asked to cash the check and return to remainder of the check via Money Gram, Western Union, or any other money wiring establishment minus the price of the item(s) being sold.
The police department advises citizens to exercise common sense. If a resident suspects a particular telephone call may be a scam, simply hang up. Anyone who receives such a call and is uncertain of its validity should report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 for IRS scams. For any other scam, contact Hightstown Police Department at 609-448-1234.
