With stimulus checks beginning to arrive in bank accounts this week, we’d like to alert the community to a scam involving cyber criminals impersonating the IRS. Scammers are posing as the IRS in an attempt to obtain personal information, such as bank account information, from stimulus payment recipients, which they then use to steal the money from the unsuspecting victims.

On Tuesday, the IRS issued a statement asserting that the scammers are preying on vulnerable taxpayers who are unaware of how the payments will reach them. We’d like to remind the community that the IRS will not contact you by telephone, email, social media or text message to ask for personal information. If you receive such a call, please hang up.

Please visit the IRS website for information on your economic impact payments: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments

In addition, with the IRS deadline for taxes extended to July 15, we are continuing to see scammers targeting taxpayers. In particular, scammers will often impersonate the IRS and request payment in the form of gift cards, Please remember that reputable businesses and organizations will never demand payment in the form of gift cards.

To report a scam or suspicious phone call or email, please contact the Stafford Sheriff’s Office at (540) 658-4400.