Updated at 10:47 a.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Numerous individuals reported to Centralia police yesterday they received phone calls purportedly from the Internal Revenue Service, that included a threat of arrest if they did not contact the phone number provided and send money.
This is a scam, according to the Centralia Police Department.
More than a half dozen people contacted Chehalis police yesterday about similar calls, and two more reported calls this morning.
The IRS makes notifications by letter and does not just call and tell someone they owe money, according to police.
The advice from local law enforcement: If you think a call is legitimate, contact the IRS local office from a number in the phone book and confirm they are actually calling before you send any money or give any additional information.
Just last week, a 77-year-old Centralia area woman was tricked out of more than $2,000 when she got a call from someone who told her he was an officer with the U.S. Treasury and she would be arrested if she did not immediately pay more than $6,400 she owed.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Telephone scams like this have been ongoing around here forever, yet I never hear of anyone anywhere being wanted or arrested for it. All my numbers are on the don’t call list. So I get a new land-line w/ new number, plug it in the wall and it starts ringing. I answer and it’s a thief obviously dialing random numbers. I report it, and nothing happens except more thieves continue calling over the years, and lots more nothing is done to stop it. You’re on your own people.