By Mary Alice Murphy

"This is to inform you that the IRS is filing a lawsuit against you."

If you receive a telephone call that begins this way, it's a scam.

The message goes on to say that you can "learn more about this lawsuit by calling our department." The call ends with a phone number to call and a polite "thank you."

This is a scam. A friend of the Beat got such a call just yesterday. It's part of a nationwide blitz.

Note that the call does not identify you by name. It only says "you," because this is what is known as a robocall. The robot does not know who you are. The caller is identified only as "our department."

If you call the number, you may lose your personal information and a lot of money. Just hang up.

Then, contact the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet. Make sure you give the FTC the phone number the "department" asked you to call. The one the friend got had area code 409, which is in the Beaumont area of southeast Texas.