First Posted: 1/23/2015
CELINA — The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office was warning residents about a scam attempt after a detective placed a return call to a number given by a resident filing a complaint.
TheSheriff’s Office received complaints about someone calling claiming to be the IRS, claiming residents had unpaid taxes and threatening to sue. After a report was filed with the Sheriff’s Office, Detective Doug Timmerman placed a call to the number given by someone filing a report.
Timmerman tells a person answering the phone that he is calling from the Sheriff’s Office and that he is checking after receiving a report. The man on the phone openly admits that they are not from the IRS and that they are scam artists.
When asked why they are committing the scam, the man says it is “to earn money.” The man then gives an address as being 111 Constitution Ave. in Washington, D.C.
When the detective asks if he is just taking a chance of being caught, the man replies that he can’t be caught.
After Timmerman replies that he is recording the message, the imposter lets loose a few expletives before the call is ended. The call lasts about 4 minutes.
The scammers were reportedly saying they were from the IRS and threatening to sue if money for unpaid taxes was not paid.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident.
