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.
Received call from here, no message left. Received a call a day or so later from a foreign sounding man stating the company I got the loan from (?) was going to press charges. Told him he was full of it. No further contact from these numbers.
This man, sounds like an Indian to me (thru his accent), called me up and asking how many loans I have and they will help and consolidate my loan...seems like very fishy....
Tonight just before 5:00 pm, I received a long distance call from 1-718-783-8997. They said that our computer is emitting error signals. He said he was calling from Microsoft Tech Support Centre. When I asked who this was, he told me his name was Alex Walker. He had a very heavy accent and was difficult to hear & understand. He wanted me to go to my computer and turn it on. I told him is was already on. When he asked which browser I was using or had on my PC, I told him FireFox and MS IE.
Whenever I paused, he kept saying "Hello, are you still there?" I told him yes, I was. He wanted to turn on the computer and launch the browser. I told him "I told you 3 times the computer is already on, and I am launching the browser." I asked how he got this number, and he said it was from Internet Protocols and a database. Again, whenever I paused, he was checking to see if I was still there. I was getting rather furious with this guy. Also the door bell was ringing and the kids were being noisy, so I could hardly hear the guy. He kept telling me to take my time, he would wait for me. I asked him for his name and to spell it for me. I told him I was rather busy, and he asked if he could call back in 15 mins. I asked the guys (Alex) if that is even his real name, for a number to call them back. He stalled, and said, well, I am on the line now, I can help you now, there is no need to call back. I said, well if you are from Tech. Support, you must have a 1-800 number for me to call. Again, he hymed and hawed. At that point, I was really pissed at him and told him I don't have time for this, and hung up.
I immediately called 310-Bell to talk to some Tech. Support there. They told me they are unable to make outgoing calls from their centre, and maybe my service provided provided the info to a 3rd party. Well, Bell is my service provided. He asked what had happened and if I gave out any information. I said NO....he said good, and just ignore the call. I asked if this Tech Support Centres could monitor or get errors from clients PC. He told me that "WE" (tech. Support) cannot see inside or what is going on with your computer.
I then immediately contacted the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) 24-hr Communications Centre. I explained what had happened. She said that YES, indeed this is a know scam. They usually call to say that your computer has a virus, ask for access, credit card information, etc. She asked if I was compromised in any way (gave access or information). I told her NO. She gave me a number to the Canadian AnitFarud Centre (PhoneBusters) to make a complaint.
Please be careful and DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION!
I DIDN'T .....
I got a call from this number today, I decided to answer it! The man on the other end of the line stated his name ( which I couldnt understand) he sounded Indian, then he told me that my computer had a virus, and I told him I'm sorry I don't have a computer, and he hung up on me, I called the number back, and it states the number is not in service. Next time I get him on the line I'm going to go through with the whole deal and see what happens, except I wont give out my information. I was on the DO NOT CALL list but I'm not sure why I'm getting these calls. Anyone get these calls on their cell phone too??