Five arrested in IRS impersonation scam
Source: USA Today
Five suspects have been arrested for involvement in a growing IRS impersonation scam that has bilked an estimated $36.5 million from 6,400 victims nationwide, federal officials said Tuesday.
Nabbed Monday in Miami, Fla., the suspects are accused of making multiple calls in which they claimed to be IRS or Treasury officials, told unwitting victims they owed tax debts, and threatened arrests if payments weren't sent immediately, the office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said.
The five allegedly persuaded the victims to wire payments via MoneyGram, Walmart2Walmart and other money wiring services.
Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/05/24/five-arrested-irs-impersonation-scam/84874934/
Details at link...
Hekate
(90,927 posts)....because we are the ones who still have landlines.
I'm pretty sure it's a federal crime to impersonate a federal office. Other charges could be piled on as well, and I hope these vermin are made an example of.
marlakay
(11,525 posts)I just reported them and never called back.
But they called us both retired in 60's on our cells. We don't have land line.
1monster
(11,012 posts)on my cell phone and two on my land line. There were several other calls on different days, including yesterday... Either these guys set it up to dial out on a schedule, or there are still more of these scammers out there.
My guess is that it is both. (I hope Uncle Sam gives them sufficient time to contemplate their misdeeds.)
cynzke
(1,254 posts)I have caller I.D. I never answer any call I don't recognize. If it is so very important, they can leave a message. I google phone numbers to see if they turn up in blogs. Very good way to screen unwanted calls. That is what I did when hearing the message from the FAKE IRS. The IRS almost NEVER CALLS. They correspond by mail if they have issues with you and if they want to speak with you, the IRS letter will contain a phone number to call. The IRS even warn taxpayers about these FRAUDSTER calls on their website. I called the FAKE IRS callers...they hardly spoke understandable English....a tip off right there. I told them I knew they were fakes and crooks that I reported them to the FBI (LOL). Never got another call. I did have a dispute with the IRS and calling THEM is a nightmare. It can take two hours to speak with someone and then the first person you speak with usually is a receptionist who assesses you problem and then passes you on to whoever they think you should talk to, which means holding again. Best time to call is the crack of dawn, when the wait time is shorter. But the IRS will respond and after several months battling with them over $141.00, I won my complaint and they reimbursed me for this money. I knew I was right and was not going to give up. The IRS takes your correspondence seriously. They kept me informed through out the process the status of my complaint. They were frustratingly slow, but showed a genuine concern to investigate and provide a response.
ReRe
(10,597 posts)ailsagirl
(22,901 posts)not for a year or more, though.
It's terrible that so many people were bilked-- if you're not up on the scams that are out there, you're sunk.
Glad they were nabbed but no restitution, I'm assuming.
turbinetree
(24,737 posts)dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)I was away so it went to my voice mail. The message said something it being the I.R.S., and it was my final notice re a lawsuit they were filing against me, or some such, I forget the exact wording. It sounded pretty real, I'm naturally skeptical but this one had me worried. I heard later there was such a scam going around. Glad they caught these crooks!
ailsagirl
(22,901 posts)Same song-and-dance you describe. It sounded like a recording.
I wish those creeps would stop harassing me!!
olddad56
(5,732 posts)LuckyLib
(6,821 posts)General. Her office sent a letter indicating this was a growing scam, and states were looking in to it. Bust these people and let's see some prison time for bilking elderly and vulnerable folks.
byronius
(7,405 posts)But the IRS never calls you, mail only is their method. There's a US Treasury page about the scam, for reporting the numbers -- I'm glad they've got these bastards.
MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)Telling me that I owed the IRS money and that they were suing me.
I laughed it off.
The IRS doesn't make phone calls demanding money.
melm00se
(4,997 posts)I told them "that's interesting...I work for the IRS criminal investigations division..."
they hung up so fast it hurt my ear and I haven't gotten this kind of of scam call since.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)The call was rude and obnoxious. The letter was very polite. This worried me since letters from the IRS used to be very rude.
I ignored the call and took the letter to my CPA.
Alkene
(752 posts)is a regional "sheriff" calling to inform me that an arrest warrant had been issued for my failure to respond to jury duty summons.
Naturally, I could avoid arrest by paying off the fine by credit card over the phone.
His first contact was a message, which really freaked me out; how did I miss that summons!?
The next contact was a live caller, who attempted to sound official, and was VERY aggressive.
I gave him non-compliant responses and demanded full identification information.
It ended by him declaring that he was issuing an immediate fugitive arrest report, and then hanging up on me.
It all seemed disturbingly legit, including spoofing caller ID, but a quick internet search and a phone call to the city police confirmed that it was a scam.
If he calls again I intend to ask him some inappropriate questions about his sexual inadequacies.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)whistler162
(11,155 posts)My 79 year olld mother got the IRS call and didn't fall for it.