Stonington — Police have issued e-mails and phone alerts warning residents about an IRS phone scam alert.

“An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers has been making the rounds throughout the area,” Capt. Todd Olson wrote.

He said callers falsely have been claiming to be employees of the IRS and victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly.

If the victim refuses to cooperate, he said the callers are then threatened with arrest or suspension of a business or driver’s license.

In many cases, Olson said, the caller “becomes hostile and insulting.”

If residents do not answer their phone, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.

Olson urged residents to disregard the calls, saying the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment or call about back taxes without first having mailed a bill.