When is something going to be done about these low lifes? They called my 81 year old mother at 1:00 a.m. and scared the death out of her. How is this legal and why on earth can nothing be done about this. This is ridiculous.
It is not legal, nor ever has been.
These calls are made from offshore scammers using various tricks to hide their true identity.
As they are operating outside US legal jurisdiction, it is nearly impossible to track down and prosecute them.
Report the calls here:
https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml
What you can do on your end is education and call screening.
See:
https://www.irs.gov/uac/stay-vigilant-against ... alls-and-emails
NOTE - The real IRS will not:
Initiate contact with you by phone, email, text or social media to ask for your personal or financial information. Call you and demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call about taxes you owe without first mailing you a bill. Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For example, telling you to pay with a prepaid debit card. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.Any above = SCAM
Hang up, report the call, block the number.