and arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;”>It’s tax season again and the Simi Valley Police Department would like to alert the community to the latest Internal Revenue Service (IRS) scams.
Here are a few scams to be mindful of:

You receive a telephone call saying that they are the “Internal Revenue Service” (IRS) and tell you that you owe money to the IRS. You are told that the “IRS Payment” must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer or you will be arrested, deported out of the country or you will have your business or driver’s license suspended. Always remember that the IRS does not contact taxpayers by email, text messages or social media to request personal or financial information.

If you believe that you have received a call similar to this, you can report it at “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” or call 800-366-4484.
You receive an email that directs you to a fake IRS web site and once you are there you are asked to provide your personal and financial information that may be used to steal your money or personal identity information.

To report any unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS or an IRS-related function go to [email protected].
You receive a bogus email with fake IRS letter head stating after the last annual calculations of your fiscal tax return you are eligible to receive a tax refund and you must provide your personal financial information by clicking on their web site.
If you received one of these emails report it to the Federal Trade Commission “FTC Complaint Assistant” at FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
Always remember that the IRS will never do the following:

The IRS will never randomly call you to discuss tax matters. The IRS will send a computer generated letter providing you with a telephone number for you to call them.
The IRS does not call to demand immediate payment, or call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a statement.
The IRS does not require you to pay your taxes using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card.

For additional crime prevention information please call the Simi Valley Police Department’s Crime Prevention Specialist, Jean-Marie Maroshek at (805)583-6276.