Some North Carolina consumers have reported getting calls from people pretending to be with the North Carolina Department of Justice who demand that they pay a $1,000 fine for unpaid taxes or face immediate arrest. The calls even appear to come from NCDOJ’s main office number, (919) 716-6400.
But the fines aren’t real, and the callers are scammers who have figured out how to manipulate Caller ID technology to make it look like they’re calling from our office. Scammers often use this method to try to convince you that they’re with a government agency, your bank, or some other legitimate organization so you’ll be more likely to fall for their con.
Remember:
- You can’t depend on Caller ID to reveal the true identity of who is calling you.
- Legitimate government agencies and businesses will not call you and threaten to arrest you if you don’t pay right away.
- Don’t respond to phone calls that demand that you send money or provide personal information such as account numbers.
If you spot a scam, report it to the real NCDOJ by calling the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.