New phone scam targets seniors

An alert has been issued about phone scams hitting the Hudson Valley region.
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman says his office has received a recent uptick in reports of telephone scammers posing as officials from the Internal Revenue Service and the Attorney General's Office. These common scams, identified by complaints and other evidence collected by the Attorney General's Office, often target seniors, students and first-generation Americans.
Schneiderman says the scam usually involves someone posing as an IRS agent, claiming you owe thousands to the government. The scammer usually threatens fines or jail time.
The attorney general says the IRS never calls someone demanding money and that legitimate callers will typically provide payment requests in writing.
Consumers are encouraged to report instances of fraud at the Attorney General's Office website or calling 1-800-771-7755.