The Internal Revenue Service is warning consumers about a phone scam targeting taxpayers.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid quickly through a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.

“If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and threatens police arrest, deportation or license revocation if you don’t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really isn’t the IRS calling,” says IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel. Werfel noted that the first IRS contact with taxpayers is likely to occur via mail.

Some characteristics of the phony calls include callers being able to recite the last four digits of a victim’s Social Security Number. They may send fake, threatening e-mails to victims and even call victims back pretending to be from the local police.

The IRS says consumers should be cautious regarding phone and e-mail scams. The IRS says it does not initiate contact with taxpayers by phone or e-mail to request personal or financial information such as PINs, passwords or similar confidential information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts.

Anyone targeted by this scam should contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their FTC Complaint Assistant at FTC.gov. and forward any emails to [email protected].