CHENANGO COUNTY – U.S. Congressman Richard Hanna is warning residents in the 22nd Congressional District of tax scams that have been known to cause taxpayers thousands of dollars.

According to information from the Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration, phone scams are growing in numbers in every state across the U.S. Calls are typically made from individuals falsely claiming to represent the International Revenue Service who tell victims that they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.

Scammers threaten people who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation, or loss of a business or drivers license.

However, phone calls are not the first point of contact for the IRS, Hanna warned.