Hawthorne Press Tribune The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - April 21, 2016 Phone Scams Follow April Tax Deadlines By Rob McCarthy Phone scams can happen to anyone’s There’s nothing new under the sun when elderly parent or grandparent, including the it comes to scam artists, who use the April Los Angeles district attorney herself. Jackie tax deadlines and a little Internet research to Lacey’s 77-year-old mother was bilked out make their schemes sound believable. of money by someone using the “grandma Seniors are most vulnerable to scams scam.” about the Internal Revenue Service or unpaid “My mother received a call from a person property taxes, according to the Los Angeles identifying himself as a police officer. He District Attorney’s Office. A fraud alert issued told her to wire money overseas to bail her before the April 18 income-tax filing deadline grandson out of jail. He also told her not to warned seniors about the latest tax scam. tell anyone,” Lacey said. “The problem was “Seniors should be on guard for thieves her grandson wasn’t in jail and the caller posing as investigators from the Internal wasn’t a police officer but a crook.” Revenue Service,” the DA fraud alert said The tax-season alert advises Los Angeles “The crooks typically make unsolicited calls, County residents that IRS agents don’t make claiming the person owes taxes to the IRS. phone calls. The IRS corresponds with They then threaten victims with criminal taxpayers by mail, according to Lacey’s prosecution, arrest or deportation unless office. Do not send money or give your bank payment is made – usually via prepaid account information to anyone claiming to be debit cards.” from a governmental agency, the alert says. Elder financial abuse often goes unreported. The callers can find a victim’s name, Many victims are too embarrassed or afraid address and other personal information on to report the crime. A study reported by the Internet, then repeat the information over Consumers Digest estimated that there are the phone to make the call sound official, at least 5 million cases of this financial authorities say. If something doesn’t seem abuse in the United States each year, but right, seniors are advised to hang up the law enforcement or government officials phone or call the police. learn about only 1 in 25 cases. Anyone concerned that a senior is being The District Attorney asks South Bay scammed should local a law enforcement residents who receive suspicious phone calls agency or the Los Angeles County Elder demanding payment of back taxes to call Abuse Hotline at 877-477-3646.) their local police departments or the DA’s The commissioner of the IRS issued his office. Calls from tax collectors about “late” own scam alert April 13, ahead of the filing property taxes made the rounds last year in deadline and indicated that his department is El Segundo. aware of phone and email scams circulating Authorities advise residents, especially across the country. They include: seniors, to tell a relative or a friend when they • Call asking for W-2 information from receive a suspicious phone call supposedly payroll and human resource departments; alerting them to unpaid taxes or an overdue • “Verifying” tax return information over bill. Financial crimes against seniors is a the phone serious crime, as serious as physical abuse • Someone pretending to work for a tax to local prosecutors. preparer. “After the tax deadline, watch out for these scammers promising a refund or threatening you with an unexpected tax bill,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. A tip-off would be an “urgent” callback request left on a voicemail. Even if the caller ID number looks like the IRS or a local government tax office, it might be faked. Scammers can alter caller ID numbers, to appear legitimate, according to the head of the IRS. There has been a spike in email scams in 2016, which also appear to come from a tax agency or a tax software company. Do not reply or download any attachments, Koskinen advises. Forward suspicious emails about federal income taxes to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. • Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.....................12 Classifieds............................3 Film Review..........................3 Finances...............................7 Food.......................................5 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals..................... 2, 6, 9-11 Pets........................................8 Police Reports.....................4 Seniors..................................7 Sports....................................4 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 68˚/57˚ Saturday Sunny 70˚/57˚ Sunday Sunny 70˚/57˚ The Class of 2016 Assistance League The 51st Annual Assistance League of San Pedro-South Bay Assisteens Recognition Ball for the Class of 2016 was held March 5. Honorees, front L to R: Katie Shewfelt, Serena Tramm, Amanda Lee, Christine O’Connell, Cheyenne Newallis L to R: Jessica Hay, Neeki Rizi, Vanja Bantencourt, Stephanie Grant, Ada Day, Emma Tsuneishi, Victoria Marquez. Photo by John Mattera Photography L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey says her mother was bilked by the “grandma scam.”
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