DeFuniak Springs Police have received new complaints of scammers active in the area. A recent complaint involved a scammer calling and acting as if they were an “IRS Agent,” demanding money for taxes owed or the Citizen would be arrested. The scammer, who was calling from a 903 area code, advised the resident to purchase a prepaid credit card and give the information to them. This is well known scam that has been happening all over the panhandle and seems to become more prevalent during tax season. The IRS would never ask you to purchase a prepaid credit card for payment. It’s even hard to trust the caller ID, since there are many internet spoofing services that scammers are using to act like someone else. A caller can enter the information they want to spoof and it will appear on the person’s caller ID as coming from the agency or company. “The best solution is to contact us before giving out any personal information, stated Chief Weeks. I would not want anyone to fall victim to fraud. Just call us, we’re here to help.”
If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a phone call or letter you received, please call the DeFuniak Springs Police at 892-8513 or your local law enforcement agency and don’t give them your personal or financial information.