ONLY ON 3: IRS scammer calls New Hanover Co. Sheriff’s cell phone

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Sheriff is warning the community about a new IRS scam after he was targeted on his own cell phone.

Sheriff Ed McMahon said scammers are now identifying themselves as specific deputies at the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. He said law enforcement would never make that kind of phone call.

The sheriff also said a scammer recently called him on his personal cell phone that is paid for through the county. McMahon said the person was sent to his voicemail. McMahon said his voicemail even says, “this is Sheriff Ed McMahon.” That did not stop the person from trying to scam the sheriff.

McMahon said the person proceeded to leave him a message saying he was an agent with the United States government and McMahon owed them money. McMahon said the person clearly had a foreign accent, but he said he called the person back.

“I tried to tell him I owed him money and I said well, why don’t you just let me come right now to see you in person and pay you and they just hung up, so I wouldn’t recommend calling them and messing with them, but I was just trying to see if there was any information I could get,” McMahon said.

The sheriff’s said never give money over the phone. If you get this kind of call, where the person says they are a deputy, McMahon said report it to the sheriff’s and to the IRS.

McMahon said as long as people keep falling for these scams and giving them money, the scammers will keep doing it.