Full Notification

The Newark Police received information that the “IRS Telephone Scam” is AGAIN hitting the phone lines in Newark and Northern California.

The scam consists of an “agent” calling victims saying they owe money to the IRS. The “agent” demands the money be paid promptly by a pre-paid debit card. If the victim refuses, the “agent” threatens to call the police to have the victim arrested. It is known that the con artists are working the Newark area.

If you receive a call regarding taxes owed, the IRS encourages you to do the following:
• If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you.
• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you've never received a bill), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General at 1-800-366-4484.

For more information on the “IRS Telephone Scam”, visit the Internal Revenue Service website at http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam.

The Newark Police Department encourages you to be alert against phone and email scams. Never give personal identifying information to anyone without first verifying the source. Information such as social security numbers, account numbers and PIN codes should be known by the caller if they are a legitimate source.

View video information on these scams by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y5z0kWgBcM

This is just one of many telephone scams currently being used. One states the caller is from PG&E and your power is about to be shut off, another starts out "Grandma, I'm in jail and need money". And the list goes on....
Never give your personal / financial information out over the phone. And never send money, or give the caller yout credit card info.

As always any person with any information concerning this or any other incident can contact the non-emergency line at 510-578-4237. Information may also be left anonymously on the “silent witness” hotline at 510-578-4000, extension 500.