The IRS still uses ink and paper if they have a problem with tax delinquency. Their agents do not ambush and terrify citizens like cheap hoodlums by phone or email. Here's the word from the *real* IRS, excerpted:
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
... "Rest assured, we do not and will not ask for credit card numbers over the phone, nor request a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer,” says IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel. .... Werfel noted that the first IRS contact with taxpayers on a tax issue is likely to occur via mail.
source: "IRS Warns of Pervasive Telephone Scam" - 31 Oct 2013
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam
The Federal Trade Commission echoed the warning this month:
"The Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration (TIGTA) warns that crooks posing as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officials are contacting people claiming they owe taxes. The caller demands a prepaid debit card, wire transfer or a credit card number for payment. If the person doesn’t comply, the caller threatens to arrest or deport the target, or take away their driver’s license or business."
Fake IRS collectors are calling
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/fake-irs-collectors-are-calling
got a message stating in a weird voice that "I am from the irs and this message is for you" then unintelligible talking until he starts to say a number and hangs up. very weird
Just got this and the idiot actually left a message on the machine. Can't understand half of what he says. I'm officer so and so and don't disregard this message....you will need an attorney... Scum of the earth these people.
Sounds like a trend.....i called back wanting his ID # ..he told me he had already giving me everything and i needed to speak better english and started getting very pissy...i told him he wasnt from the IRS..he hung up on me...jerk
(said his name was Mark Lopez)
I got the same recording twice on April 23, 2014, once in the morning and again after noon. Same strange accent, same message as all the other comments. He stated his name was "officer" Jason Miller. I didn't call back. Might call from my cell dumb-phone to get more info, if I get bored...or interested.