RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — 8News is investigating after a Chesterfield woman is the latest victim of a sophisticated IRS scam.
We’ve warned you before about scam artists targeting the Richmond area.
“A lot of money at Christmas time and my mother is in hospice, it’s just horrible.”
The holidays will be a little tight for one Chesterfield woman who has asked us not to identify her after she fell victim to an IRS phone scam.
It’s a scam 8News has been warning folks about for months.
Still , this woman was was duped out of $1500.00 just last week. It all started with a call from a man claiming to be with the internal revenue service. He left a google voice message saying the woman owed taxes and if he didn’t hea from her within 72 hours law enforcement would be at her doorstep.
She called back and he demanded she pay up or go to jail.
The victim recalls what he said, “We’ll disperse a sheriff at your work right now and have you arrested.”
The caller was very convincing; he knew a lot about the Chesterfield woman.
“They knew my address, my work, my social security number, my full name a lot of information,” she says.
Calling at a vulnerable time for the woman, her mom in hospice, a recent divorce, she fell for it hook, line and sinker.
She wired the cash over as requested, but it didn’t stop there. He called again and told the woman that the money did not go through. She then got suspicious and called police.
“These people are good, they are very, very good,” says Tom Gallagher president of the Richmond Better Business Bureau says this scam artist did his homework.
In this case they had really tight identifying information so my concern is the victim here, all of her identity is really at risk right now,” says Gallagher.
8News wanted to have little talk with the scammer. We called all of the numbers he called from but go no answer.
Both Gallagher and the Internal Revenue Service warn others that the IRS will never call and demand immediate payment without first having mailed you a bill and the IRS not will demand you pay taxes without given you an opportunity to appeal.
Chesterfield Police are investigating after they were able to listen into to one of the calls to the victim.
Several others in the area have reported to 8News they too recently got similar voicemails from a person claiming to be with the IRS. You’re advised not to call back the number. If you are really concerned, contact the IRS yourself.
