WHEN Roma's Christine Adams got told over the phone police were coming to arrest her by someone claiming to be from the Australian Tax Office, she thought she'd done something wrong.

Instead, she nearly found herself caught up in a phone scam that has been targeting people across the nation.

Ms Adams, a pensioner who doesn't pay tax by default, said she felt frightened and scared by the call, where a woman called Nicky told her there was a warrant for her arrest if she didn't "fix her account".

"I thought I'd done something wrong," she said.

"This woman called me up on a number, called herself Nicky Johnson and told me she was from the Taxation Office and my account was in arrears."

When Ms Adams refused to provide personal information, the woman told her the police had been called and would be arriving soon.

"It scared me so I rang a friend of mine, who said it sounded like a scam," she said.

"There might be others who have received the same call."

Ms Adams was not wrong - numerous other reports have surfaced of people being called out of the blue by someone claiming to be from the ATO, including a woman from Toowoomba.

ATO Second Commissioner Geoff Leeper said they will never cold call about a debt.

"We would never threaten jail or arrest, and our staff certainly wouldn't behave in an aggressive manner," Mr Leeper said.

"If you're not sure, hang up and call us back on 132869."

WHAT TO DO

If you think you've been a victim of a scam, phone the ATO on 13 28 69.