SCAMS: People are always finding new ways to scam you.

With tax season underway, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is warning residents of IRS-related scams that are circulating.

“Scam artists are always looking for ways to steal from consumers — and during tax season, impersonating the IRS and trying to scare you into paying them thousands of dollars becomes a popular tactic,” said Shapiro.

“My office is here to protect you, help you avoid being scammed and go after these scammers anywhere we find them,” he said.

One victim reported that she received a phone call from a man who claimed there were agents waiting outside her home to arrest her if she did not pay thousands of dollars of alleged back taxes. She withdraw more than $10,000 from her bank account to appease them, and they had her purchase gift cards, then read the gift card information to them over the phone.

Shapiro shared tips to determine if someone is trying to take money from you through an IRS scam:

• The IRS does not use threatening or aggressive calls. A scammer may threaten to involve the police, immigration officers or other law enforcement if you do not pay promptly. The IRS will not do that.

• The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media, especially contact seeking personal financial information.

• Do not trust the number you see on your caller ID, even if it appears to be coming from the IRS. Scam artists increasingly use a technique known as spoofing to trick caller ID into thinking the call is originating from a certain phone number.

• Do not give out personal information over the phone. Do not provide information over the phone, even if the caller claims to be from the IRS or your bank.

• The IRS does not require taxpayers to use a specific method of payment such as a pre-paid debit card, money order, wire transfer, gift cards or cash.

Pennsylvanians who believe they may have been a victim of a scam can file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling 800-441-2555 or emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.

We don’t want to leave you feeling too frightened — while there are certainly no guarantees in life, a little common sense goes a long way to prevent becoming a victim of a scam. If something feels wrong about a phone call/email/unexpected visitor, look for more information from a different source or contact the police.