By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Centralia police, along with the Centralia Utilities Center, are warning city utility customers about a scam involving bogus collection calls.
The utilities center has received several complaints from customers about it. Customers received a call from a male, identifying himself as “Mark Montgomery” who requests overdue payments, according to the Centralia Police Department.
•••
Anyone who receives such a call is urged to hang up and then call the Centralia Utilities Center at 360-330-7657. This is the only valid Centralia Utility Customer Service Center number, according to police detective Patricia Finch.
Only on rare occasions, after a statement and past due letter is sent out will a representative of the utilities center call the customer, according to Finch.
Finch said officials have learned of another residence getting a phone call from someone saying the resident was in legal trouble. Another scam, according to Finch. That one provided a business name of Tarek Fadel and a phone number of 646-247-1929.
Residents continue to report getting calls from someone claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service and demanding payment, according to Finch. That’s a scam, she indicates.
“Please do not give anyone your credit / debit card number over the phone until you have confirmed that it is legitimate,” detective Finch stated in a news release.
•••
Earlier this month, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office took more than 30 reports over a two-day period of citizens being phoned by someone purporting to be from the IRS and threatening to send a deputy to arrest them if they didn’t send a money order immediately.
Chief Deputy Stacy Brown reminds the public that the sheriff’s office does not get involved in tax issues and also that the IRS typically contacts people via mail, not by phone.
The sheriff’s office advises if someone gets a call such as these, just simply hang up.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) earlier this month put out a warning urging taxpayers to remain on high alert.
“As the tax filing season begins, it is critical that all taxpayers continue to be wary of unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be IRS and Treasury employees,” the Inspector General stated. “This scam has proven to be the largest of its kind that we have ever seen.”
•••
The callers are aggressive and relentless, and once they have your attention, they will say anything to con you out of your hard-earned cash, authorities say.
The IRS will not ask for payment using a prepaid debit card, a money order or wire a transfer, nor will they ask for a credit card number over the phone.
If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment, here’s what to do, according to Thurston County sheriff’s Lt. Cliff Ziesemer. Hang up.
If you owe federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
And today, the U.S. Marshals Service is warning the public of a nationwide telephone scam in which callers impersonate U.S. marshals, court officers or law enforcement officials seeking to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty.
The U.S. Marshals Service does not call anyone to arrange payment of fines over the phone for failure to appear for jury duty or any other infraction.
Officials says to be aware the fraudsters:
• May know the last four digits of the victim’s social security number.
• Can make caller ID information appear as if the IRS, or another entity, is actually calling.
• May provide badge numbers and even names of actual judges and courthouse addresses.
• Claim that hanging up the phone will cause the immediate issuance of an arrest warrant.
• Send bogus emails to support their claim
• Call back a second or third time claiming to be police or the department of motor vehicles.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Well with the rate increase of the electric bills the PUD should have plenty of money to add this warning to everyones electric bill when they mail them out.. Now that would be progress so it wont happen.