Internal Revenue Service Consultant Juan M. Carrizales was present at the event and provided information regarding the issue.

“The Internal Revenue Service will never call you to threaten to put you behind bars because you owe taxes.

We always send you your bill statement through mail first. 

Remember the easiest thing to do if you get a suspicious call just hang up your phone,” said Carrizales.

Carrizales also warned about text and email schemes being used by scammers to victimize individuals.

“If you have any questions or want to report a scheme please call the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800- 829 – 1040,” added Carrizales.

It's important to remember that thieves make unsolicited phone calls to their intended victims fraudulently claiming to be from the IRS. The scams have different variations in which fraudsters demand immediate payment of taxes by a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. The callers are often hostile and abusive. 

Alternately, scammers may tell would-be victims that they are entitled to a large refund but must first provide personal information. Other characteristics of these scams include: Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers to identify themselves. Scammers may know the last four digits of the taxpayer’s Social Security number. Scammers spoof caller ID to make the phone number appear as if the IRS or another local law enforcement agency is calling. Scammers may send bogus IRS emails to victims to support their bogus calls. Victims hear background noise of other calls to mimic a call site.

After threatening victims with jail time or with driver’s license or other professional license revocation, scammers hang up.

Others soon call back pretending to be from local law enforcement agencies or the 

Department of Motor Vehicles, and caller ID again supports their claim.

Here are some things the scammers often do, but the IRS will not do. Taxpayers should remember that any one of these is a tell-tale sign of a scam.

The IRS will never: Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.

Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.

Demand that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.

Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. Call about an unexpected refund.

For those who owe taxes or think they do: Call the IRS at 1- 800-829-1040. IRS's workers can help.

View tax account online. Taxpayers can see their past 24 months of payment history, payoff amount and balance of each tax year owed.

Stay alert to scams that use the IRS or other legitimate companies and agencies as a lure.

Tax scams can happen any time of year, not just at tax time. For more information visit Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts on IRS.gov.