The Kane County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents that an ongoing nationwide “IRS” telephone scam continues to target taxpayers and has bilked more than 20,000 taxpayers out of more than $1 million.

The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office recently received a report of this scam here in Kane County.

Potential victims receive calls from individuals purporting to be IRS employees in which they claim the victims owe the IRS money and they demand payment with a prepaid debit card or wire transfer.

Often, the thieves threaten arrest, deportation, or revocation of driver’s licenses.  Sometimes the thieves spoof caller IDs to appear to be calling from the IRS and may also be able to provide the last four digits of the victim’s social security number.

The IRS reminds everyone that they generally contact taxpayers who owe money first by mail, and a bona fide IRS agent will never ask for payment by debit card or wire transfer.

IRS agents never ask for credit card numbers over the phone.

Please be aware of this scam and share this information with your friends and family.

To send an anonymous tip to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, use one of the following methods:

• TEXT MESSAGE: text the keyword KANE and your message to 847411 (tip411).
• ONLINE FORM: click here to use the Web Tip Form.

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