Posted on 06/23/2014 9:21:19 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Tax season may be over, but that has not stopped scammers from continuing to pose as IRS officials and making calls threatening jail, deportation and loss of property. Thousands of calls have been made to individuals across the country, including the Chicago and northern Illinois area, with total losses around $1 million.
Callers to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Chicago and Northern Illinois say they have been left voicemail messages stating they need to contact the IRS immediately, or they would face legal consequences. Other messages threatened arrest by U.S. Marshals for failure to pay the correct amount of taxes.
John Strandin, of Rockford, says he and his wife received two calls from a man who claimed his wife had not correctly filed her returns for the last six years. Standin says, “we knew it was a scam, because my wife has not filed an individual tax return in more than 10 years.”
Hoffman Estates resident Bert Adams says, “I had a phone message from Kelly Gray who said she worked for the IRS and that I was to call the IRS right away.” This call was less threatening and demanding than other calls, as Adams noted her sign-off was “Good-bye, and take care.”
All calls to Adams and Strandin came from the 202 area code, which services the Washington, D.C., area.
“It is a safe bet that the phone numbers that showed on their caller I.D. were ‘spoofed numbers,”” says Dennis Horton, director of the Rockford Regional Office of the BBB. “It is a common practice of scammers to hide their real phone number from their intended victim.” He added, “in some cases, they have even ‘spoofed’ the IRS’s legitimate ‘800’ customer service number.”
In addition to claiming to be from the IRS, other individuals say they have been called by people stating they were with the U.S. Treasury; although it is a different government agency, the scam remains the same.
Scott Smuck of Rockford says: “I was told I did not file my 2010 taxes correctly and that I owed $1,000 and needed to pay it immediately, or they would seize my property and bank account and I would be arrested by the U.S. Marshal.” Smuck was instructed not to hang up until he paid the money. “I was even told what store to go to and get a GreenDot card,” he added. The call lasted one hour and 49 minutes.
According to the IRS, the agency never contacts taxpayers by phone asking for money. They also never contact taxpayers by e-mail. If there is an issue with the IRS that requires your response, the contact would be made by U.S. mail.
If you receive one of these scam phone calls, the BBB recommends:
• Hang up — Don’t provide any information over the phone. Call the IRS directly using the phone number found on their website or in the phone book.
• Protect personal information — In response to an incoming call, never give out any personal or financial information, such as your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name or any passwords and other identifying information.
• Contact the FCC — Let the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) know about ID spoofers by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC or file a complaint at www.fcc.gov/complaints.
• Contact the FTC — File a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.ftc.gov/complaint. From the complaint homepage, select “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” In the notes, include “IRS Telephone Scam.”
Does Cummings get a kickback, too?
Or just the IRS and its ultracorrupt Commissioners?
FROM THE FTC:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/fake-irs-collectors-are-calling
These scammers often:
* call you. But when the IRS contacts people about unpaid taxes, they do it by postal mail, not by phone
* use common names and fake IRS badge numbers
* know the last four digits of your Social Security number
* demand payment via a prepaid debit card or wire transfer.
The IRS doesn’t ask for either of these payment methods, nor will they ask for credit card numbers.
* rig caller ID information to appear as if the IRS really is calling
* send fake emails that look like legitimate IRS correspondence
* make a second call claiming to be the police or department of motor vehicles, rigging the caller ID information
To protect yourself from imposters who call, claiming to be from the IRS:
* don’t provide any account or other personal information. Hang up the phone.
* never wire money to a person or company you don’t know. Once you wire money, you can’t get it back.
* if you owe - or think you owe - federal taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions. You also can visit the IRS website at irs.gov.
* if you’ve already paid your taxes, call and report the incident to TIGTA at 800-366-4484.
* forward emails from the IRS to phishing@irs.gov. Don’t open any attachments or click on any links in those emails.
* file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint. Include “IRS Telephone Scam” in your complaint.
I would invite them over for coffee and a nice little chat....
RE: I would invite them over for coffee and a nice little chat....
The scammers will have to fly over to do that.... Who’s gonna pay? :)
This further enabled by the criminal administration’s adoption and promotion of the IRS lawlessness.
Hmmm... Indistinguishable for real IRS agents.
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