Grosse Pointe Woods police say a man who was suspected of posing as an IRS agent in the area is in fact an agent.
The IRS has confirmed his identity and says he was on official business. Agents will visit homes and businesses from time to time to conduct interviews, according to the IRS.
Police say there is no reason for alarm in this particular case.
The IRS issued the following tips to help prevent you from actually getting scammed:
The IRS will never:
-- Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a
prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to
any taxpayer who owes taxes.
-- Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have
the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
-- Demand that taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or
appeal the amount owed.
-- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone
An earlier version of this story written from a police advisory which has since been retracted indicated that a man was posing as agent in the area.
