NM Attorney General logo
Submit a Complaint
Menu

Submit a Complaint

  1. Home
  2. Press Releases
  3. SCAM ALERT: IRS Scams Increasing Across New Mexico as Tax Day Approaches
Explore Section
Back to Press Releases

Attorney General

Raúl Torrez

SCAM ALERT: IRS Scams Increasing Across New Mexico as Tax Day Approaches

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 11, 2016

Contact: James Hallinan (505) 660-2216

Scammers are targeting New Mexicans with two different IRS scams

Santa Fe, NM – Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that the Office of the Attorney General is receiving increased reports of IRS impersonation scam calls to New Mexico consumers. In these scams, callers claim to be from the IRS and threaten New Mexicans with legal action unless the consumers pay the alleged back taxes or owed taxes. The scammers then ask the consumer to send money by various means including prepaid debit cards or wire transfers. New Mexicans are also experiencing a variation of this scam that tries to play off the current tax season. In this scam, someone calls claiming to be from the IRS stating that they have your tax return and need to verify a few details to process your return. The scam tries to get you to give up personal information such as a Social Security number or personal financial information like bank numbers or credit cards.

“The IRS will never call or email you asking for money or personal financial information, so if you receive one of these calls, hang up and call the Office of the Attorney General to report the scam,” said Attorney General Balderas. “Please be diligent around tax season and use the resources of your Consumer Protection Division to help protect you and other members of your community from these scammers.”

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment or attempting to obtain personal information, here’s what to do:

  • Report it to the Consumer Protection Division of the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General at 505-222-9100 or toll free at 866-627-3249. You can find more information about the Consumer Protection Division by visiting http://www.nmag.gov/consumer-protection.aspx 
  • If you owe Federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS employees can help you with your payment questions.
  • If you do not owe taxes, fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form on TIGTA’s website, www.tigta.gov, or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484.
  • You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov. Add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments in your complaint or file an on-line report with the IRS at www.IRS.gov 

# # #