Stay safe from scam tax calls

January 16, 2017

The Boundary County Sheriff's Office reminds everyone that it's income tax time again, and with that comes the telephone scams by people representing themselves as being with the IRS or State Tax Commission. Please understand that the IRS doesn't call people randomly and demand money from them. Generally, a person will get official, mailed documents from the IRS, much prior to being called, if they are ever called at all. If it sounds like a scam now-days, it generally is. Please also be aware that the BCSO cannot investigate these scamming phone calls, even if you fall victim to them by sending money to the persons responsible. They would, however, like to be made aware of such calls occurring with residents of Boundary County. The phone numbers those engaging in these scams are calling from are "ghost numbers" and come back to nothing, the addresses they use are fictitious as well. There are cell phone apps and computer programs available to these people to make sure the numbers, IP addresses and other ways to track them are invisible, or otherwise fictitious. More times than not, you may be talking to someone in a foreign country, on the other side of the world and we have no way to track down that person, place, or number. Doing so requires very sophisticated computer equipment, programs and specialized, investigative units, trained to do nothing but those types of investigations. As always, stay safe! And remember that your personal securities and well-being usually start with your own personal choices and decisions.