A growing number of Coastal Bend residents say they’ve been receiving phone calls from people claiming to be with the IRS.
The persons responsible for calling Coastal Bend residents claim the IRS is filing a lawsuit against them, and they’re also demanding a lot of money.
Bishop residents, Sari Flores and Richard Garcia, are two victims of these types of phone calls. They recall a recent experience when they received a phone call from an unknown number.
“It wracked our brains. We got home, and we were so panicked,” Flores said. “We didn’t know what to do, and still trying to figure things out.”
Dana Danner, a Corpus Christi resident, says she’s also been getting similar spam phone calls for the past three months.
“I get a lot of them. They always call like every couple days, every three days,” Danner said. “And it’s really getting annoying.”
In both instances, the person on the other end of the line would demand a large amount of money, sometimes upwards of $1,000.
“They just wanted it [the money] right then and there,” Garcia said. “And then once we told them we didn’t have the money for it, it was, ‘well do you have family members, do you have friends?'”
After discussing it over with their spouses, these victims quickly realized something seemed off. And their gut instinct was right.
“My husband and I were talking, and he says, ‘the IRS doesn’t call you,'” Danner said. “And I said ‘oh, you’re right.'”
According to the Better Business Bureau, the IRS will always make initial contract through the U.S. Postal Service. There are also some red flags to keep in mind to avoid becoming a victim:
If you’re asked to wire transfer money, or to pay in cash, chances are it could be a scam. Also, do research, ask questions, and be persistent. And if you get a bad feeling, simply hang up.
For more information about how to avoid becoming a victim a spam phone calls, visit the Better Business Bureau website.
