By COOPER SLOUGH
Hays Post

With college classes starting next week, some students have been receiving phone calls from numbers claiming to be from the IRS. In response, the Fort Hays State University Financial Assistance Office has sent out an email warning students not to field these calls, and instead contact the police immediately.

The scammers reportedly reference the student’s school as FHSU and claim the students owe a substantial amount of money (usually over $1000) that must be paid immediately over the phone, under threat of court action. Some callers even threaten a suspension of drivers license.

The FHSU Financial Assistance Office has released a list of common characteristics for these calls.

Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers, and may be able to recite the last four digits of the victims social security number. Scammers have also been known to imitate the IRS toll-free number on victim’s caller ID. Occasionally scammers have also been known to send bogus IRS emails to victims to support their bogus calls.

If you or someone you know has been the recipient of one of these bogus calls, the financial assistance office asks that you notify the University Police Department at (785) 628-5304.

To view the email from University Police click here.