Local scam victims reported

The Lewis County Sheriff's Office has reported multiple local residents have been the targets of a scam involving thieves posing as IRS officers of computers technicians.

These scammers call potential victims and state they owe back taxes and will have a warrant issued for their arrest if they do not pay. Authorities caution the actual IRS does not operate by these protocols, and would not ask for payment over the phone.

Other victims are also being told their personal computers have been compromised and they need to pay a fee for a technician to access their computer and solve the problem. Not only do victims end up paying for phony services, they then allow technicians to access potentially-sensitive information on their computers.

If you receive such a phone call, go ahead and hang up, as most legitimate businesses will not attempt to threaten or coerce customers, and most often use mail to handle such financial matters.

If you have been contacted by such individuals, or think you may have been the victim of a scam, be sure to contact your local police agency to report the incident.