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.
Identified as Nikki Johnson-IRS agent. Said not to disregard this and call the number immediately before law enforcement is involved. Called my accountant and attorney and they both advised me that it was a scam. Call back if you want to have some fun with them.
It was a number from Novato CA and it was a very serious and demanding voice. I hung up before it was even over and called it back. (having worked at the IRS for over 20 years, I know they don't call like that). But if I had been someone that didn't know any better it would have ruined my day or made me crazy. I called them and it was a guy who besides not hardly being able to recognize what he was saying from his accent, he yawned in the phone while talking to me. He said they were looking for someone named (yawn) blah blah (it wasn't me). I asked how did you get my phone number for blah blah? He got all mean and official with me and said excuse me, we are the IRS... lolol, RUDELY and hung up. Oh no you didn't... I called back and same guy answered, I said I had worked for the IRS for a long time and where and what center were they in? He said in San Francisco and if I had a problem he quoted the generic IRS hotline. He hung up on me once again. I called back, he answered and I said if you are scamming as the IRS, I am reporting you. He said don't call back again and hung up lolololol.... The IRS does not do this... I didn't listen long enough to get the scam because I was so mad but IRS does not cold call like this.
Received a call from this number twice today. They left a robotic voice messaging saying they were from the IRS & I needed to call them immediately. When I called back, a man with a very thick accent answered & asked me for the number that I received the message on. He then asked if I was Shannon B*****. I said yes & he started in on a long story of how I owed money to the IRS. When I asked if he could make sure I was the right person, he hung up. I called right back & same guy answered. I said I had received no notice & wanted the "charges" read now. He said "I'll read them, but don't interrupt me." What the?! After listening to a 2 minute threat, including loss of my passport, home, job, even my kids (as I would go to jail he said) if I didn't pay up, I stated I wanted this all in writing sent to me. He then asked for my address. So I stated "ummmm shouldn't you already have that if this is a legitimate charge?" He hung up. He also said if I didn't pay, the local police would be alerted & sent to my home today. This really pissed me off on so many levels, mostly for unnerving me for a few minutes & then because sadly, how many people have actually given theses pieces of trash money? BEWARE!!!!