By Emily Enfinger | The Selma Times-Journal

The Selma Police Department is warning Selma residents to be cautious this tax season to avoid being victims of theft or fraud.

Lt. Sam Miller of the Selma Police Department said the department sees an increase in robberies as people receive tax refunds.

“They are looking to take the easy way out by robbing you of what’s rightfully yours,” Miller said.

On Monday night, a 37-year-old woman with two children was robbed at gunpoint in the Family Dollar parking lot on Broad Street.

The woman told authorities she rushed her kids into the car when she saw two males run toward her. She said the men pulled a gun on her and demanded her items. They left on foot toward Church Street and Boeglin Avenue.

No arrests have been made, and the robber remains under investigation.

Miller said people should treat tax season much like the holiday season by taking extra precautions such as parking in well lit areas, doing business during daylight hours, not going out at night alone and avoiding carrying large amounts of cash.

Tax time is also prime opportunity for phone and email scams.

“If you get calls from somebody that’s particularly asking for personal information or claiming they are with a federal entity, I wouldn’t give them your information,” Miller said.

The IRS warns of a sophisticated IRS-impersonation phone scam which alerts victims that money is owed and must be paid via pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the payment is refused, the victim is then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of their driver’s license.

Often the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

According to IRS.gov, the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment or call about taxes owed without first mailing a bill. They will never ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or threaten action from law enforcement for not paying, nor will they demand you pay taxes without the opportunity to question or appeal the amount you owe.