Arrests Show IRS Impersonation Scam Remains Pervasive

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, today praised investigators and federal prosecutors whose investigation recently led to the arrest of two Connecticut residents suspected of being involved in an IRS impersonation scam. The two are accused of participating in a scam that cost innocent victims approximately $547,000.

Through the IRS impersonation scam, of which there are multiple variations, con artists, pretending to be IRS employees, demand immediate payment of “back taxes” and threaten retaliation, such as home foreclosure and even arrest if payment of is not made. Often, the fraudsters call from a phone disguised, or “spoofed,” to look like they are calling from the Washington, D.C. area code.

As Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, Senator Collins has made it a top priority to inform the public and help protect Americans, especially seniors, from falling victim to such con artists. Last April, she chaired a hearing that examined IRS impersonation scams and efforts by law enforcement to put a stop to them and find and prosecute those involved.

The Aging Committee’s Fraud Hotline (1-800-303-9470) receives more than 100 calls a month from around the country. The most common complaint reported to the Fraud Hotline continues to be the IRS impersonation scam. In May, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration announced it had arrested five individuals connected with the IRS impersonation scam as a direct result of a lead reported to the committee’s hotline last fall.

“I applaud the efforts of law enforcement who continually work to track down criminals who are intent on robbing Americans of their hard-earned money,” said Senator Collins. “These most recent arrests demonstrate that the IRS impersonation scam continues to persist, but should also serve as a reminder that law enforcement will continue to pursue these criminals. Putting a stop to aggressive and ruthless scams, such as the IRS impersonation scam, remains one of my highest priorities as Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee.”

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