Hustlers dialing for dollars use an old Internal Revenue Service scheme

The IRS does not operate out of dollar-type stores, despite the story a set of scammers recently told Nick Peña, owner of Food Tour New Mexico.

The series of calls Peña got were a variation of the ubiquitous IRS scam, in which fake agents try to scare you into paying a supposed delinquent amount of taxes.

In this case, the amount was about $3,000 that Peña was told he owed. If he didn’t pay immediately, the IRS would freeze his assets and a warrant would be issued for his arrest, the caller told him.

Peña was directed to what the caller said was a “Federal 35” location, where he was to bring cash to pay off the debt. He was to keep the caller on an open line during this process, because hanging up would mean he was not complying and his arrest would be happening forthwith. Peña played along. “You want me to drive home, take a shower and go to the (store), the whole time” with the phone on?, he asked. The caller had a ready response: “Don’t you have a phone charger?”

Peña learned that the two addresses he was given were Albuquerque dollar discount locations. And he learned, after double-checking with his accountant, that there was no IRS debt.

And still another warning about the fake IRS.

Do not click or open email attachments that are labeled as “CP2000 notices. The supposed IRS emails claim the recipient underreported income in connection with Affordable Care Act coverage.

The fakes are dated for the 2015 tax year, and look like they’ve been issued from Austin, Texas, according to the IRS.

Such forms are used when income reported from an employer doesn’t match what the taxpayer reported.

They are sent through the mail and not as attachments on an email, so asking you to open one leaves you vulnerable to giving a crook access to your computer.

Also, the caller says you must make the payment by sending a check made out to “IRS.” This is another tip-off because federal tax bills that are paid by check should be made out to the “United States Treasury.”

The IRS asks that if you get one of these emails, forward to phishing@irs.gov and then delete.

Don’t be fooled by a fake effort to save Social Security. Good cause, bad scam. The Better Business Bureau warns of seniors losing money to a bogus nonprofit advocacy group that is sending out letters saying it is working to save Social Security.

The letter claims Congress is trying to abolish the benefit, and the group is responding by mailing referendum ballots “to every senior citizen in the country” so they can vote to keep the program, the Better Business Bureau says.

To keep up its work, the group asks for $16.45 so it can mail “an additional 36 referendums on Social Security to citizens across America who feel the same way as you and me.”

Those are the basics, although there are variations. Sometimes, a different advocacy group is named and different language is used in the mailing.

Those who fill out the form for a credit card donation are at risk for ID theft and fraudulent charges beyond $16.45.