New Phone Scam Targeting Taxpayers

In the past few weeks, I've received numerous panicked inquiries from clients of mine concerned about phone calls they have received.  The caller, who usually has a foreign accent and calls from (202) 506-9010, claims to be an IRS agent and tells the victim that the police are on their way to arrest him/her. The only way to prevent the arrest is to immediately make a $500 payment with a debit card.  The caller then gives the victim the name of an "agent" to call, a phony agent ID number, and another phone number with a 202 area code so that payment can be made. The agent names given are generally common ones or taken from TV shows. For instance, one client was told he needed to call Agent Don Johnson (like the guy from Miami Vice); another received a call from "Victor" and was asked to call (202) 506-9274. If the victim calls the number given to him/her, he/she is asked for his/her name, social security number and debit card number. Fortunately, none of my clients have shared their personal information (or if they had they would not admit to it).
THIS IS A SCAM!
First off, the IRS NEVER makes its initial contact with a taxpayer by telephone. The IRS almost always sends a letter to you indicating that there is an issue with your account. They might also show up at your residence or place of business seeking to discuss the matter with you, but this is extremely rare. If the IRS comes to your door and you ignore them, they generally leave their business card and a polite note asking for you to call them.
Secondly, the IRS (or any other government agency for that matter) NEVER tips you off that it is about to arrest you. Why would they want to give you a running head start out the door? Plus, merely owing taxes is not a criminal offense.
If you receive one of these calls, and you think it might be legitimate, hang up and call the IRS Hotline at (800) 829-1040 and speak to an IRS employee. They'll let you know whether you actually owe anything.

IRS Circular 230 Notice: To ensure compliance with certain regulations promulgated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, we inform you that any federal tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any taxpayer for the purpose of (1) avoiding tax-related penalties under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, or (2) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax-related matters addressed herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.