New York attorney general warns residents about telephone tax scams

ALBANY, New York -- New York's attorney general is warning against paying money to anyone who calls posing as an IRS official and saying that a past-due tax balance is due immediately.

Citing an uptick in reports of such scammers in the Utica area, the attorney general's office says they often target seniors, students and first-generation Americans.

In the scam, victims are warned they'll be arrested if they don't pay the "IRS Tax Warrant" with a Green Dot Card Money Card or Western Union MoneyGram.

They often use "caller ID spoofing" so that their identification on the victim's phone will appear as "Internal Revenue Service."

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says New Yorkers should report possible instances of fraud to his office either online or by calling 1-800-771-7755.