SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating an alleged IRS scam.

A Salina man, in his 70s, received a call early last month from someone who claimed he would be arrested if he didn’t pay taxes he owed to the Internal Revenue Service, according to Salina Police Captain Mike Sweeney.

The man sent a $23,000 cashier’s check and a box containing $55,000 in cash to Ohio and then purchased 29 prepaid Visa cards worth $500 each, He gave the numbers of the cards over the phone to another man.

Police were notified by the man’s bank on Monday concerned he may have be the victim of a scam.

The man may be out $93,500, according to police.

Sweeney said the IRS will never call and threaten to have you arrested if you don’t make immediate payments.

Also any legitimate business or office will not ask you to make payments with a Money gram, Western Union wire, or prepaid Visa or other type of prepaid card.

Once money is sent via a wire it is virtually impossible to recover the money, according to Sweeney.