Pinellas Sheriff Warns Residents About IRS Phone Scam

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL -- Pinellas County Sheriff's Office detectives are encouraging the public to be aware of a phone scam occurring in Pinellas County.

The scammer is calling residents in Pinellas County falsely identifying themselves as Internal Revenue Service employees and trying to trick taxpayers into paying non-existent tax bills.

Detectives say the scammer tells potential victims they owe taxes to the IRS and there is an active warrant for their arrest.

The scammer instructs the victim to go to the nearest convenience store to purchase prepaid debit, credit or gift cards. The suspect then directs the victim to give him the numbers on the back of the gift card to satisfy payment.

Detectives have seen an uptick in the number of incidents in which Pinellas County residents have been targeted using this scam.

They remind residents that no government agency will request payment for outstanding debts using gift cards. Detectives also warn residents to never give personal information or account information over the phone.

If anyone has information on this scam or has become a victim, call the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office at (727) 582-6200.

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