The Yolo County District Attorney is warning citizens about a computer-generated telephone call from someone claiming to be an officer from the Internal Revenue Service. The official-sounding call was reported to the DA’s office by a local citizen who wanted to alert others about this scam.
Con artists often try to deceive their potential victims by impersonating officials in hopes of obtaining personal information such as a Social Security or credit card number. In this particular situation, the caller claimed to be from the “Internal Revenue Services.” The caller didn’t know the name of the person he was calling, spoke in broken English, and used a threatening tone in trying to scare them into responding quickly.
The District Attorney’s Office wants to remind everyone that if they get an unexpected call like this to never provide any personal information. Instead, hang up and contact the agency or company through a reliable phone number or other official source and confirm the authenticity of the request. Alternatively, talk with a trusted friend or advisor for assistance in verifying the request. In this particular instance, a quick Internet check of the name used by the caller noted it was a scam.
If you receive a phone call from the IRS, but you suspect it may a scam, ask them to call you back later and ask for their employee badge number. You can then contact the Internal Revenue Service at the local office in Sacramento to determine if it is legitimate. Their telephone number is 916-974-5225. For more information about this and other types of scams to watch out for, please call Enforcement Officer Dave Edwards at the District Attorney’s Office, 530-666-8416.