BBB warns of phone scammers claiming to be IRS

BBB warns of phone scammers claiming to be IRS

YOUNGSTOWN

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers of a scam involving a caller claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service demanding immediate payment.

The caller will intimidate the victim with threats including confiscation of property, freezing accounts and arrest.

The victim then will be advised to make an immediate payment of $500 to $1,500 through a wire transfer or prepaid money card.

The scammers often have personal information of the victim’s and have an IRS caller identification.

Do not give any personal information if you receive this call or authorize a payment over the phone, the BBB says.

Vallourec receives safety award from Okla. port authority

YOUNGSTOWN

Vallourec Star was recognized for Excellence in Safety at the Muskogee (Okla.)City-County Port Authority annual Business and Industry Awards for reaching a 60 percent reduction in no-lost-time injuries from the previous year.

This third-party nomination from Indian Capital Technology Center acknowledges Vallourec’s culture of safety.

Vallourec Star partnered with ICTC to provide 2,600 hours of safety training in 2014 for their more than 150 employees.

Gibson Insurance to donate $10,000 to 10 organizations

GIRARD

The Gibson Agency LLC started its third-annual holiday giving campaign and will donate $10,000 to 10 organizations in the Mahoning Valley.

They include: Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, Warren Family Mission, Homes for Kids Inc., Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries Inc., Catholic Charities, Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County, Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County, Yellow Brick Place, American Heart Association and the Solid Rock Therapeutic Riding Center.

The Gibson Insurance Agency is a subsidiary of Thompson Insurance Group.

Staff reports