These are criminal extortionists operating in overseas boiler rooms using VOIP to alter their identities and locations and out of the reach of US law enforcement.
If someone calls saying he's an IRS agent and demands that you send money immediately, hang up.
It's a phone scam.In fact, it tops the IRS "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams this year, and it's been surging in recent months, the agency said Thursday.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), which oversees the IRS, has received reports of 290,000 scam calls since October 2013 and said nearly 3,000 victims have been swindled out of $14 million so far.
By altering their caller ID number to make it look like they're calling from an IRS office, these scammers often threaten vulnerable people like the elderly and new immigrants with things like arrest, deportation or the loss of their driver's license if they don't pay immediately for money purportedly owed.
Often leaving messages that say it's "urgent" you call them back, the scammers use common names and sometimes say they are from the IRS Criminal Division. They may even claim to know the last four digits of your Social Security number and send follow-up emails that appear to be from the IRS, TIGTA said.
They often demand that payments be made by prepaid debit card.
Once they make their threats, the scammers have been known to call back and again disguise their caller ID so it appears they are calling from the police department or the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Or sometimes when they call, they may say you have a refund due and ask you to provide personal information so you can claim it.
The real IRS will usually contact you by regular mail first, if it needs to contact you at all. And the agency never demands immediate payment by phone or asks for credit card or debit numbers if they do call. It also never asks for personal or financial information by email, text or social media.
If you get what you suspect is a scam call, report it to TIGTA through its Web site or call 800-366-4484.
I have nothing to add, got the same this morning, on the ID caller it said out of area not showing any number and the message a woman's voice (no accent) said that I was under investigation, I would love to give them a piece of my mind, but that would not stop them.
It is a scam saying we are being sued ( not audited) for tax fraud by the IRS. Noisy connection, strong accent. Claiming I need to pay 1968.00 in 24 hours or I will be arrested by the local sheriff! I asked about the audit process and requested this in writing, referred to my lawyer and then they hung up.
SCAM. Got a call showing on caller ID that the callers phone is #1. First red flag.
Automated message was left say the IRS was filing a lawsit on me. Second red flag.
No reason for a lawsuit because we always pay our taxes. IRS would probably send a letter not leave an automated phone message.
This is the number they left for me to callback and discuss the lawsuit, 206-801-5201