got a call this morning. first guy with Indian (?) accent gave me name and his Fed ID only after I asked for it. Threatened that I have been investigated with tax evasion and someone is on the way to arrest me. the only way to avoid jail time is by paying what I owe (interest and penalty). I was warned that if the phone was disconnected then I would be arrested immediately. he gave me an option to speak with his supervisor, however 'during the conversation with my supervisor, you must not speak with anyone else - can not call or put someone else on the call. it's just between you and him'.
I was told that I have no prior criminal record and filed all tax returns, however, as the result of the background check of me, it showed that I owed taxes miscalculated and I was threatened of a jail time. the only option. I could do is to pay a minimum of $10k 'now' so he could put a hold on my arrest. No accountant or lawyer could help me at this point to avoid jail time unless I pay.
with the accents their names were Mike Phillips and Robert Matthews.
why people do this kind of stuffs and think they can get away with it?
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.
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.
This call came in from McKinney, TX on March 4th. Could barely understand him. Heavy accent. He said, "This is an attempt to contact you regarding a Court Order. If you do not respond, you are in violation of.....blah, blah, blah."