AUGUSTA — The Maine Attorney General's Office has seen a recent increase in the number of Mainers calling to report they have been the target of phone scams in which someone pretends to be calling to collect a debt owed to the Internal Revenue Service. Maine Attorney General Janet T. Mills said those calls are scams and they should not give people credit card information or wire money.

In North Haven resident Seth Macy’s case, the caller wanted him to find a Walmart, CVS or Walgreens and purchase a prepaid card on which the money he was told he owed should go. But it never got that far. Not because Macy lives on an island in Maine, without a Walmart or Walgreens on it, but because Macy was on to the scam — from the beginning. And when he let on to the caller he knew it was a scam, the caller disconnected. But not before Macy could record the conversation.

“That was the fourth time they called me that day!” said Macy. You can listen to Macy’s recorded conversation here.

In a news release last week, Mills said, "The IRS scam and others like it are the most common complaint we receive. However, we have noticed a recent spike in the number of people calling our office to alert us and to complain specifically about IRS scams. On Thursday [Dec. 3] alone we received 61 contacts from Maine people. These are often randomly dialed calls, but for some reason the 207 area code seems to be their target in recent weeks. People should not engage the callers and hang up the phone. Do not give them personal information and do not wire them money."

Here's how they work: Scammers posing as IRS officials call and say you owe taxes. They threaten to arrest you, or deport you, or revoke your license, or even shut down your business if you don't offer to pay right away. They may know your Social Security number, or at least the last four digits of it, making you think it really is the IRS calling. They also can rig caller ID to make it look like the call is coming from Washington, D.C.

In Macy’s case, the caller said they were in Las Vegas, but “traveled to Washington, D.C., ...yes...every day for work.”

As is typical, the scammer then began instructing Macy to put the money on a prepaid debit card. When challenged about his authenticity, the scammer tried to reassure Macy by giving a badge number in order to sound official. And finally, the payment could only be made by "Green Dot Money Pak," available at places like Wal-Mart or drugstore chains, and not by other means. The scammers are also not easily dissuaded; different people called repeatedly making the same claims in order to make him think they were legitimate.

Mills said the scam continues when the victim agrees to get the card, and is then told to give the caller the card number, something no government agency would ask you to do, according to Mills. Once you do it, you find out it was a scam, and the money is gone.

"No governmental agency or legitimate business will call you up and demand an immediate payment by credit card, wire transfer or by prepaid debit card," said Mills. "If you receive one of these calls, do not answer any of their questions. Hang up the phone immediately."

If you owe, or think you owe, federal taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or go to irs.gov. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions. When the IRS contacts people about unpaid taxes, they usually do it by mail, not by phone.

Report IRS imposter scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration online or at 800-366-4484, and to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

If you have questions about these or other consumer matters, contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Maine Attorney General's Office at 1-800-436-2131 or consumer.mediation@maine.gov.