The Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont is warning North Carolinians that arrest threats from the U.S. Treasury are scams.
A news release from the BBB’s Charlotte office said it received word that a person was calling claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury.
The caller claimed that the victim had submitted a fraudulent tax return and a warrant was out for the victim’s arrests.
In the news release, Janet Hart, a spokesperson for the Southern Piedmont BBB, said the caller claimed they could work with the victim to ensure the matter was resolved but a sum of money was needed immediately.
Hart said the calls were part of scam.
If there’s a problem with tax returns, Hart said the Internal Revenue Service would sent a letter.
Hart offered the following advice if a person receives a similar call
• Don’t be intimidated, just hang up.
• Don’t let them keep trying to convince you that your arrest is imminent because the longer you stay on the line, the more fearful you could become.
• Don’t give out any personal information over the telephone to anyone who calls you, regardless of whether they claim they are from the IRS, the U.S. Treasury, the FBI or a local sheriff’s department.
Hart said scammers claim to be authority figures to scare people into performing certain tasks.