Scammers are in full force this tax season. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is reminding community members to be cautious.

The IRS will never:

Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.

Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card or green dot card.

Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you can do:

If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040.

Report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484 or at www.tigta.gov.

File a complaint with the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Impostor Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

The IRS does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.