Sheriff warns of fake IRS agent phone scam in Cook County

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a scammer posing as an IRS agent over the phone.

The automated phone call warns of an arrest warrant that can be resolved by calling a Chicago area phone number, the sheriff’s office said.

Once a victim calls the number, someone claiming to be an IRS agent tells the caller they must make a payment if they want to avoid the warrant being passed on to local authorities, the sheriff’s office said. The fake agent may provide the caller with a fake IRS badge number or know the last four digits of the caller’s social security number.

The sheriff’s office was investigating the origin of the calls and warned residents not to give out personal information or make prepaid payments over the phone.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of the scam should call the sheriff’s office at (708) 865-4896.