To the Editor:

Across New Jersey, residents have been receiving phone calls from scammers claiming to be from the IRS or the U.S. Treasury for a while now. This isn’t necessarily a new scam. But over the last few days, the number and frequency of these calls to New Jersey residents has increased, and it is likely to continue to escalate as we enter the tax season. When they answer the phone, residents are told that they will be arrested and prosecuted if they do not pay them immediately. The name Dennis Grey is sometimes (but not always) given. And for a new wrinkle, in some cases, callers have been spoofing their caller ID to display “AARP,” further highlighting their desire to encourage seniors, whom they often target in these scams, to answer the phone. The fact is, these calls are not legitimate and are in no way connected to AARP or any government agency. The IRS will NOT communicate with you by phone. If you receive a call from someone purporting to be from the IRS or the U.S. Treasury, regardless of what appears on your caller ID, give them NO identifying information and insist that they send everything to you in writing.

Jeff Abramo

Interim Manager of Communications and Community Outreach, AARP New Jersey

Rockingham Row, Forrestal Village