From Texas A&M police:
The University Police Dept. (UPD) has received multiple reports from students who have received bogus phone calls from individuals claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The victims are told they owe money to the IRS and payment must be made promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, the impersonators threaten arrest, deportation, dismissal from the university or suspension of their driver’s license. In many cases, the callers are reported to become aggressive, hostile and insulting.
These con artists can sound convincing. They use fake names and bogus identification badge numbers. They may also know a lot about the individuals they are targeting. In some cases, the victims have reported the caller knowing specific financial and identification numbers. These individuals usually alter the caller ID to make it look as though the IRS or a law enforcement agency is calling.
The IRS or law enforcement agencies will never:
• Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes or debts owed without first having mailed you a bill.
• Demand that you pay taxes or debts without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes or debts, such as with a prepaid debit card.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
• Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
• Use email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal financial or tax issues.
If you are contacted by someone requesting payment for any debt with which you are not familiar, be exceedingly cautious because it is most likely a scam.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a similar scam, please report it to UPD at 979-845-2345. For more information regarding IRS scams, please visit www.irs.gov