Didnt leave message so I called back because it was 6:45am on Saturday. Answered this is an officer from IRS. Isnt this idd they would call so early on a saturday? I hung up
Is this real?
When all else fails you can try calling them back which is preventing them from doing their job hoping they will block your number and remove you from future scam lists. But be nice so they have a clear head so they can think about blocking not just ignore from frustration. I became passive annoying, that worked for me. I'm usually blocked by the fourth call back. I haven't had this group call be back since.
Quote:When all else fails you can try calling them back
Nooooo!
A lot of posters on 800notes complain they get many calls from scammers.
A few posters state they get hardly any.
Why the difference? Here are possible reasons.
Click on the associated "Info" button under any statement to read why NOT to use that method.
Answering the phone when the caller's number is unfamiliar.
Info01Instead of answering, let the call go to voicemail or answering machine. Legitimate callers will usually leave a message.
Pressing a number "to be taken off the list"
Info02That works for legitimate telemarketers, but, if you were on the Do Not Call list, legitimate telemarketers would not have called you in the first place. Pressing a number on a call from a telespammer merely confirms you answered the phone and will follow scammer's instructions. That make your number more valuable for even more spammers!
Returning the call.
Info03At best, returning a scammer's call merely confirms your phone is "live", and your number will be added to a list that will be used by even more scammers. At worst, the call will cost you additional fees, if it is from a foreign country, such as Jamaica (876 area code). Also, scammers are now spoofing Caller IDs, so the number you see may not really be the number that called you. It might belong to an innocent, third party.
Arguing with the caller:
Info04Call center employees have probably heard your argument many times. They may either continue to try to scam you, or they will hang up ... but will also make sure some other scammer calls your number, later.
Blowing a horn or whistle into the phone:
Info05Will irritate the scammer. The scammer may then add your number as a "spoofed Caller ID", so others think YOU are calling them, and YOU may hear retaliatory horns or whistles if the irritated called person calls YOU back!
Forwarding the call to a government office.
Info06Not too swift. All that does is tie up a line at the govt office, and record YOUR number as the forwarding number! Realize that your congress person knows phone scams are a problem, and also knows the FCC and FTC have been assigned the task of upholding the laws concerning this problem. Instead, you should report the problem via normal channels to the FTC or FCC.
Giving or forwarding the supposed scammer's phone number to other scammers.
Info07May not be a good idea. The 1st scammer might have used a spoofed phone number, and, if you give it to other scammers, all you are doing is causing more calls to and problems for an innocent person.
Getting a new phone number
Info08Eventually, after getting many scam calls, some people think their only recourse is getting a new number. That is not true. The "new number" is probably somebody else's "old number", and will come accompanied with its own baggage (and calls).
What you SHOULD do:
If you are disturbed by frequent calls from scammers / spammers. obtain a call blocker app, device, phone, or service. Google is your friend. Remember, the Do Not Call list is designed to prevent calls from legitimate, registered telemarketers, but scammers / spammers are not legitimate telemarketers, do not register, and they ignore the DNCL or your requests!
Remember
The DNC list is NOT a call blocker!
~~~~~~~~
Please reply to this post, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.
We already know who and where they are. The issue is they're out of US jurisdiction. Local law enforcement in Karachi Pakistan won't shut it down. It would only take a dedicated group of 50-100 people at one time but for weeks to call in and flood their phones playing along to put them out of business. No one organized anything where a group can form taking turns calling them to play along. And we need to have a service that gives a new phone number each time. I had a scammer want to block an entire telco's exchange (ever number available to a carrier) because of me, and that was only putting in 30 minutes of effort. Imagine what 50-100 people can do? But with out local gov't support in their country nit much a single person can do; well unless you're very motivated and good with computers. 100 skype or google voice accounts calling in to then can do a lot of damage too to them but while they might not get in trouble for that we might. 100 people making 1 call I think is different than 1 person making 100 calls. You have a cost using skype or similar too doing that. It's too bad the telcos don't block it. But tracking them down that's the easy part. This company employs about 100 people in a poverty area of the city. If police there shut it down all these people would be left with no jobs and we might not like it but I believe they don't care so much scamming Americans. So local govt/police do nothing, in fact from what I heard this scam is very respected in their neighborhood. I heard parents approve of the place of employment their children are working at over there. So why would anyone there want to stop it. Now our gov't can force telcos to block incoming calls as their identified as big scam by volume, peoples reports and location of inbound calls but they don't. That should fall under USA jurisdiction at least blocking them on our side but it doesn't or hasn't happened. I hear your frustration. I have to keep my phone on for emergencies and work at night sleep by day. Lots of these calls prevent me from sleeping. Glad I was able to get nearly all of them to stop so I can sleep.
IRS scam
Call repeatedly and leave an automated voicemail stating the IRS is filing a lawsuit against me.
Call 469-666-9957 to learn the details.
I've called back repeatedly and no one answers, auto message saying the line is busy and to call back later or the call just disconnects.