IRS Phone Scammers

Just a heads up... My husband got a phone call this morning from someone claiming to be from the "IRS" and stating that a lawsuit had been filed against him and an arrest warrant issued for nonpayment of back taxes. I already knew that --

The IRS will not:

• Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.
  
• Demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.
  
• Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.
  
• Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  
• Threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.

Source: IRS

I also know that we don't owe any back taxes. So I was able to immediately assure my hubby that it was a scam and not to worry about it. He gave me the phone number from the caller ID and I have filed complaints with the appropriate agencies:

IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting
FTC Complaint Assistant
State Attorney General Consumer Complaint (AZ)

Oh! And the phone number that showed up on caller ID was 866-517-6732. I googled the number, but nothing came up.

So just a friendly warning in case you or yours get a similar call.

a reply to: Boadicea

I got one of those on Monday. I asked him if he wanted to buy some boner medication and he hung up on me.

I was being serious.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

LOL!!! I love it!

originally posted by: Boadicea
LOL!!! I love it!

You should hear what I say to the actual boner medicine telemarketers.

a reply to: Boadicea

My girlfriend has had a few of those and her aunt ACTUALLY sent something like $7,500 to "someone" based on one of those calls.. her husband was f*cking livid (I would have been too).

It's funny because they don't even say the person's name, just a general "a warrant has been issued for your arrest" in a robotic/auto voice.

Thanks for the heads up Boadicea

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I wish... I'm already laughing just imagining it! I have visions of Crank Yankers in my head... only more hilarious!!!

(Your reputation for humor precedes you )

There is a guy on youtube "Project Mayhem" His logo is black with a green hooded man. if you find a way to message him the number you should, he'll send automated calls to them nonstop until they close the number down and are forced to get a new one.

-Alee

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: Boadicea

My girlfriend has had a few of those and her aunt ACTUALLY sent something like $7,500 to "someone" based on one of those calls.. her husband was f*cking livid (I would have been too).

Oh no. That's so wrong! I don't blame her husband either, but I sure feel for her

It's funny because they don't even say the person's name, just a general "a warrant has been issued for your arrest" in a robotic/auto voice.

Yup. That's exactly how they played it with my husband too. They didn't even quote a specific amount owed -- but asked if he had his debit card ready. I'm sure glad he called me first!

originally posted by: NerdGoddess
There is a guy on youtube "Project Mayhem" His logo is black with a green hooded man. if you find a way to message him the number you should, he'll send automated calls to them nonstop until they close the number down and are forced to get a new one.

-Alee

Haha! Thank you!

I found his youtube channel... no contact info there but I'll keep trying to find it. If I have to, I'll log in and leave a comment on one of his videos.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

Seen that.
Also, got stuck watching peoples videos of them going along with the scam but winding up the scammers for hours.
There's some really funny ones and its well worth a look if you want to kill a bit of time and have a giggle.

The best one was when they phoned an actual tax expert and another where they phoned a cop with speakerphone on.

Hilarious!

originally posted by: Boadicea
Just a heads up... My husband got a phone call this morning from someone claiming to be from the "IRS" and stating that a lawsuit had been filed against him and an arrest warrant issued for nonpayment of back taxes. I already knew that --

The IRS will not:

• Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.
  
• Demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.
  
• Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.
  
• Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  
• Threaten to bring in police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying.

Source: IRS

I also know that we don't owe any back taxes. So I was able to immediately assure my hubby that it was a scam and not to worry about it. He gave me the phone number from the caller ID and I have filed complaints with the appropriate agencies:

IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting
FTC Complaint Assistant
State Attorney General Consumer Complaint (AZ)

Oh! And the phone number that showed up on caller ID was 866-517-6732. I googled the number, but nothing came up.

So just a friendly warning in case you or yours get a similar call.

I always thought the IRS doesn't even make phone calls they just communicate through mail. I have had some tax problems in the past and never received a phone call.

a reply to: XxitsTtimexX

I always thought the IRS doesn't even make phone calls they just communicate through mail.

That's exactly right. Just like any legal action, they need written records of their communication -- especially when trying to collect a debt. And notification of any lawsuit filed would be served in the typical legal manner: In person by a process server -- not by phone.

I have had some tax problems in the past and never received a phone call.

Bummer... but very happy it's in the past!

originally posted by: NerdGoddess
There is a guy on youtube "Project Mayhem" His logo is black with a green hooded man. if you find a way to message him the number you should, he'll send automated calls to them nonstop until they close the number down and are forced to get a new one.

-Alee

I just checked out his channel. That is hilarious. Doing God's work that young man.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Or , like I told em . They needed some hemorrhoid ointment as they were naught but a "pain in the a**'

Strange how so many IRS employees are of Indian descent with Hindi accents. We outsourced the IRS , too ?

a reply to: Boadicea

Whenever I answer the phone to an unknown number I always say CIA Your Badge Number Please.

originally posted by: DramaKing
a reply to: Boadicea

Whenever I answer the phone to an unknown number I always say CIA Your Badge Number Please.

Love it!!!
I'm going to use that. Hope you don't mind.

I don't get many calls, though....not even the scammers want to talk to me.

My husband and I just don't answer the phone if it's an Unknown Number or a # we don't recognize. We figure that if it's legit, they'll leave a message. The really sucky part is that we get these type of calls on our cell phones too. All of our numbers are registered on the Do Not Call list, but the scammers don't care. Heck, they probably GET the numbers from that list, haha!

Another thing that happens to me is that I get calls from sequential numbers. For example, if I don't answer 555-555-1234, a minute later I get a call from 555-555-1235, and so on.

Stooopid robo calls.

a reply to: Lolliek

My husband and I just don't answer the phone if it's an Unknown Number or a # we don't recognize. We figure that if it's legit, they'll leave a message. The really sucky part is that we get these type of calls on our cell phones too. All of our numbers are registered on the Do Not Call list, but the scammers don't care.

I don't answer calls that I don't recognize either, and if they don't leave a message, then I automatically block the number. My husband didn't have that option though because it's his work cell phone, and he gets lots of legitimate business calls from unidentified numbers. And I have put his work # on the Do Not Call list as well. But like you said, that's probably where some of these places get their numbers... every one is virtually guaranteed to be a working number!