I’m an Enrolled Agent with the IRS (Inactive). IRS does not initiate contacts by phone. US mail only. IRS does not file lawsuits. Court action, if any is handled by the DOJ and all parties are entitled to legal assistance if it is a criminal matter. But--tax disputes are for the most part civil matters. 90% of all IRS tax disputes are settled administratively. IRS has absolutely no authority to call on local law enforcement for anything. Local law is never involved in IRS tax disputes. IRS does not threaten to involve local law enforcement or to arrest you for nonpayment of federal taxes. IRS has no powers of arrest. If LE is necessary, US Marshals do the job. IRS does not cold call anyone and demand immediate payment of money. IRS does not ask for financial information over the phone. IRS does not accept Green card money paks for payment in any case. No one is prosecuted for ordinary tax disputes. IRS has absolutely no authority over anyone's professional license. Professional licensing is handled by state governments. Yes, levies on property to satisfy an existing tax obligation do occur, but only after a very long period of negotiation. And yes, liens are placed on individuals but usually after a lot of negotiation and a failure to reach a settlement. All determinations of tax liability are subject to appeals. All contacts by the IRS are initiated by US mail.
I'm an 85 year old widow and received this message - I did not call them back. Glad I didn't - sounds like a bunch of crooks.
Why can't the govt. do something about these people?
This is an obvious scam. But don't count on the IRS to track them down. The IRS is a government agency bloated with drones who do little or nothing useful for the taxpayer.
IRS collects taxes. Period. It has no law enforcement powers outside of its own administrative procedures. It certainly cannot go into a foreign country and try to deal with scammers. That would be the FBI's job. But the scammers are located in India and Pakistan and the local governments do little or noting to close down the call centers.
I received a call (on answering machine) from this number saying I was being sued by the IRS and to respond to the call immediately. IT IS BOGUS AS HELL. DON'T FALL FOR IT!