OCPD Sees Increase in Reported Phone Scams

OCEAN CITY, MD – The Ocean City Police Department has seen a recent increase in a variety of phone scams in recent weeks. The majority of the scams reported have involved a caller claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The caller will demand immediate payment for unpaid taxes and threaten arrest by local law enforcement if the victim does not comply.

Citizens have reported that the callers are very convincing, stating specific details about the victim or using false IRS identification badge numbers and titles. Often, scammers will alter the caller ID to make it seem as if the IRS is calling.

The IRS offers five simple ways to recognize a suspicious scam call:
The caller demands immediate payment.
The caller does not give the victim the opportunity to question or appeal the amount that is owed.
The caller requires the victim to use a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card or gift card.
The caller asks for your credit card information over the phone.
The caller threatens to contact local police or other law enforcement agency to have the victim arrested for not paying.

The IRS assures citizens that the agency does not call to demand immediate payment and will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes. For more information and tips to prevent becoming a victim of a similar scam, visit the IRS’s Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts webpage at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts.