March 10, 2015, Canton, MI – The Canton Police Department continues to receive calls and reports of attempted phone scams from residents who are contacted by someone impersonating a representative of the IRS, INS, or other government agency.
Police officials warn the public to be aware of this very prevalent nationwide scam going on, and to be very protective of your personal information including social security numbers, bank accounts, and credit card information. Government agencies and financial institutions do not call residents and demand information or cash over the phone. If you receive one of these calls and believe it may be legitimate, your best option is to hang up and call the agency or bank back using a credible phone number—do not trust the caller ID as these criminals are programming false caller ID information.
If you believe you have been the victim of a phone scam, residents should contact the Canton Police Department at 734/394-5400. If you believe you’ve been the victim of a fraudulent income tax return filing you can also contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.