The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning about a surge in scam calls from individuals pretending to be IRS agents demanding payment for supposed back taxes. According to the FTC’s alert, these scammers often use threats of arrest, license suspension, or property seizure to pressure victims into paying immediately through wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. The FTC emphasizes that the IRS never initiates contact by phone, email, or text to demand payment or threaten legal action.
Consumers are urged to hang up immediately if they receive such calls and to avoid sharing personal or financial information. Scammers often use caller ID spoofing to make it appear as though the call is coming from a legitimate government agency. The FTC advises reporting these incidents at reportfraud.ftc.gov to help authorities track and stop fraudulent activity. Staying informed and cautious is the best defense against these evolving scams.
MVSB helps protect customers from financial fraud by offering secure banking tools, fraud monitoring, and educational resources on identifying scams. Customers can set up account alerts, use multi-factor authentication, and speak directly with our representatives about suspicious activity.
