CAUTION: Phone Scammers Target Wyoming

As the the annual Income Tax deadline draws near scammers are already out there trying to take full advantage of anyone who does not know how the system works.

In the past few months, I've received several spam phone calls claiming that I owe money to the IRS.

The scammer either offers to help me with my problem or threatens to jail me if I don't cooperate.

Luckily my phone service sends spam calls to a junk box, so I never hear my phone ring.

But I can see that someone has called. It's labeled as SPAM.

Screwing with phone scammers can be fun.

The scammers will leave a voice mail which I listen to and laugh at.

FIRST - I know that I do not owe any money.

SECOND - The IRS DOES NOT CALL YOU!

The IRS. initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service.

The IRS behaves in predicted ways.

The IRS will never call you and ask for personal information, like your Social Security number, credit card or bank routing numbers, or other personal information.

If you are getting messages like this - DELETE THEM!

But have a good laugh listening to them first.

If a scammer does manage to reach you in person, on the phone DO NOT give them any personal information.

It is fun to keep them on the line as long as possible and waste their time.

The longer you can keep them busy the fewer people they will be able to call on that day.

That saves other people from having to talk to them and deprives them of the opportunity to rip someone off that day.

Think of it as your civic duty.