New Hampshire

Scammer Who Called NH Woman Posing as IRS Agent Shows Up at Her Door, Police Say

A woman took a call from a scammer pretending to be from the IRS, but minutes later, the man showed up at her home in Lebanon, New Hampshire

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A typical IRS phone scam took an unexpected turn when police say the scammer showed up at the victim's door in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Police say it was a brazen attempt to steal money. Now, the victim has a warning for her neighbors.

"It's just crazy to think that someone would do that and go to those extremes," said Lia Michaels outside her home Friday.

Michaels told NBC10 Boston she got a cellphone call Thursday afternoon. It was someone claiming to be the IRS asking for money.

Michaels says it was your usual phone scam, except for one thing.

"The odd part was they told me that if I didn't pay, they were going to come get me," she said.

She hung up right away. But within 15 minutes, there was a knock at her door.

"I was pretty freaked out," Michaels said.

She added that the visitor was certainly playing the part.

"He was in a suit and he was saying that he was from the IRS and telling me that I owed them $15,000," Michaels explained.

She also told us that the man said if she didn't cough up the cash, he'd take her to police.

When the man couldn't provide identification, Michaels locked her door and called 911.

"So many things could've gone wrong in this," explained Phil Roberts, deputy chief at the Lebanon Police Department. "It's the first time we've ever seen this in this area, so it's very alarming."

The man took off before officers arrived. An investigation is underway.

"The scary, really scary, idea is someone might believe it," Michaels said.

Thankfully, this savvy Dartmouth College student didn't fall for it and now has a warning for her neighbors.

"You always have to be cautious and follow your gut instinct," she said.

Michaels' house doesn't have surveillance cameras, but police are scouring the neighborhood looking for any footage of the people involved or their white SUV.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lebanon Police Department.

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