Lakeport woman scammed by IRS impersonator

Lakeport police are warning residents about IRS impersonators after a local woman was bilked of $4,000.

The woman received a call earlier this week from a person who posed as an IRS agent and threatened to pursue criminal charges against her if she did not fork over the money, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said in a statement.

He said the suspect called the woman a second time, asking for more money. The victim reported the scam on Wednesday, which also happened to be Tax Day.

Using the victim’s cellphone, officers posing as her relative contacted the suspect. However, they were unable to gain much information, Rasmussen said.

Although tax season is over, he said they don’t expect this scam to end. The department received a report from another Lakeport resident who was contacted by a person also claiming to be with the IRS, but no money was taken.

Rasmussen said scammers are using untraceable telephone numbers and emails that look official. He reminded residents that the IRS does not contact people by telephone or email regarding tax problems but rather by U.S. mail.

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @eloisanews.