Forget Cupid, long-stemmed roses and Valentines.

February’s not looking so lovely. Instead, think of it as the most scammiest time of the year.

Bainbridge Island police have been called multiple times since the start of the month after scammers have developed a newfound attraction to Bainbridge Island.

Island authorities were alerted early last week by the San Jose Police Department after a California man was nearly scammed out of more than $7,500 by someone using a fake Bainbridge Island phone number. The man had been told a lawsuit had been started against him for unpaid taxes by the Internal Revenue Service by a caller claiming to represent the agency.

The caller warned the man that his property and bank accounts would be seized unless he made an immediate payment so the arrest warrant could be canceled.

Islanders have also contacted the police after getting similar calls.

Last week, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office put out a warning that a flurry of phony IRS calls were being received throughout Kitsap.

The start of the tax season means a new season of scam attempts, authorities said.

Swindlers have come up with another scam, as well: impersonating Puget Sound Energy employees and demanding payment on allegedly “overdue” charges.

A 66-year-old Bainbridge man fell victim to that ploy last week, when he received a phone call from someone claiming to work for PSE.

The man was told his power would be shut off if an immediate payment was not received.

The victim, who was at work in Poulsbo at the time, was told he owed $389 and the debt could only be paid with a cash card. The man went to his credit union and made a withdrawal, then bought a cash card and called back the scammer on the number he had been given and told him the cash card number.

After an hour and a few more phone calls, the man realized he had been swindled.

Bainbridge Police Chief Matthew Hamner said it’s nigh impossible to track down the criminals behind such frauds, as they often use multiple disguised phone numbers to hide their location, and many work from overseas.

“It’s very, very difficult to track these individuals down,” Hamner said.

Fake IRS calls are getting surprisingly common. Hamner noted his own family received a bogus IRS call within the past week.

The important thing to remember, he said, is that creditors always contact their customers through the mail, and not by phone.

Hamner said people should not share any personal information on calls they did not place. Stay silent when getting unsolicited phone calls.

“If you didn’t initiate it, don’t divulge anything,” Hamner said.

And if someone claims to be from the IRS, PSE or another entity seeking money, don’t call the phone number that a caller provides. Instead, call the number listed on a recent bill.

“The IRS never calls; they always mail letters,” he said.