IRS Phone Scam

[Terry D EA]

Had a client call last evening concerned about the four warrants for their arrest for tax evasion. Now, I know they owe nothing. Client told the scammer to contact his lawyer and gave the lawyer's name. The scammer said to have the lawyer contact them and hung up. These guys never quit.

[SaraEA]

Had an elderly client come in yesterday because he received a call from a "state marshal" for his supposed tax debts.  He asked if I would call the number again for him.  I don't think so.  The local paper ran a front-page story on the scam the day before. I was finally able to calm him down and warn him about the new scam from DHHS who calls to verify people's Soc Sec and Medicare numbers.  Just today I heard about another scam where crooks are hacking the email accounts of realtors.  The realtor emails clients the details of their closing date and how much they have to bring in a certified bank check, and the crooks send a new email saying the money now has to be wired to a certain account.  Could you imagine showing up at a closing after you wired $20k or so and discovering you are out all that money?  We already know that we preparers are being targeted by criminals, but who would have suspected realtors?  The internet as we know it is going to have to change.

[SaraEA]

Saw an article today that two people were arrested in CT for being part of the IRS phone scam.  These people weren't the callers.  They were paid $40 for each Western Union check they picked up and deposited somewhere.  One of them said she was making about $500 a day doing this.  That's 12+ victims A DAY.  Lends insight into how hard it is to catch the real perpetrators. They're organized crime syndicates that hire unknowns in small towns that have WU offices nearby, have the money deposited to a legitimate bank and then immediately transferred here and there and somewhere else.  Too bad CI couldn't have convinced the two arrested to keep picking up the checks but not depositing them.  Bet the criminals would have shown up at their doors in no time.  But then again, the visitors would probably be hired hit men and not the brains behind the operations.

By the way, the callers are getting more aggressive.  One woman interviewed said the caller threatened to shoot her in the head if she didn't pay up.  Guess they weren't getting enough people to succumb to their threats to sue/arrest/deport.

[Terry D EA]

What I don't get is why can't the authorities track the phone numbers??? Some of the numbers you can actually speak to someone or return their call. This has gotten beyond the word ridiculous. If funds are deposited to a legitimate bank, it would seem that the legitimate bank these folks are depositing the funds to should be able to see who or where the funds are moved to. It is a shame this kind of stuff goes on so long. I remember the days when my dad never took the keys out of the car and we never locked the house door. Now, we lock the car in the garage with the house double dead bolted with security cameras and security system. In todays world, you just can't do enough to protect yourself.

[Abby Normal]

On 9/18/2016 at 6:31 AM, Terry D said:

What I don't get is why can't the authorities track the phone numbers???

I believe they are actively working on this, and we should see some improvement in the next year.

[Jack from Ohio]

On 9/18/2016 at 6:31 AM, Terry D said:

What I don't get is why can't the authorities track the phone numbers???

Most of the scammers use internet based phone programs that spoof the phone number where the call is originated.  They also spoof the IP address making it virtually impossible to track them.

I have a group of friends that, when I get a call or some one of my clients gets a call that leaves a number, we all call them nonstop until they take that number out of action.  This will reduce the possibility of someone gullible returning their call.  I have had as many as 10 of us calling them non-stop.

[Ringers]

I just got another call from "IRS" on my cell phone.  Left a message about the "arrest warrant" so I called them back on a land line and said it was my wife's cell that they called on and she was out.  I gave them a phony name and SS# and then played the game with them for 37 minutes and 14 seconds.  They verified that the phony name and phony SS# did actually owe $9780 for "willful mistakes" made over the past 4 years.  I told them that I take a standard deduction and only have 1 W-2 form, but they were "certain" that I had purposely made a false calculation and the warrant for my arrest, 5 years in prison, and a $95000 fine was coming my way!  BUT, if I cooperated today with them, they would eliminate the big fine and jail time--all I had to do was pay the $9780.  I told them i never have seen that amount of money at one time and that I only had about $200 in the bank.  They asked about credit cards and I told them I thought I had about $2000 left on my only credit card.  They kept transferring me to other agents and collection officers and I was put on hold many times.  Finally the collection officer, a heavily accented "Patricia Wilson" said that she would work with me on a payment plan as long as I got them the $2000 today.  She told me to drive over to Walgreens with my cell phone and purchase four $500 I-tunes cards.  She gave me a tip--"don't tell Walgreens that the cards are for the IRS or they will charge you $50 more for each one."  I thanked her for saving me the $200 and she said "You are welcome--at IRS we are dedicated to helping out the taxpayers."

I told her that it was my wife's cellphone and I did not have a cell, so she told me to put the call I made to her on hold, drive to Walgreens and buy the cards, and then come back for further instructions.  When I hit the 37 minute mark, I told "Miss Wilson" that I had just one more item to mention and then told her I ws an accountant and really enjoyed wasting her and her associates time this evening.  I ended with "Have a nice day and perhaps get a real job."  She ended with "(Bleep) you for wasting my time."  And here I thought she was dedicated to helping out the taxpayer.

 

Her number, if you care to have some fun, was a DC number 929-294-1482

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I haven't called back yet, no time, but the number I have is 216.539.0790.  That's a Cleveland area code.  The message left in my voice mail was pretty dire.  It went to my 'zero' box though, not box 1, CPA, box 2, spouse and I or box 3, diving and music business.  Someday I may return the call to, you  know, yank some chains.

[jklcpa]

The numbers change all the time. Today I got one on my business landline and another on husband's cell phone, both robocalls from the wireless # 336-848-2137.  I'm getting a few each week from a variety of numbers and area codes, all robocalls saying the same thing.

[SaraEA]

We got called yesterday about having some kind of problem with our computer. Husband told them what to do with themselves.  I would have preferred to tell them I had to boot up, but the computer is at the other end of the house and the connection is slow so it might take awhile.  I'd then put the call on hold, maybe pick up every five minutes or so to say I'm turning it on.....it's loading.....  Then leave them on hold while I go to work.  These guys get up early--call came at 8AM.  Last year they called before 7AM.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I love these phone calls. I can say things to them that I won't say to someone else. They are a welcome relief if I'm having a bad day. (That seems to be most of my days.) 

[Lion EA]

Hubby has a lot of fun with those calls.  Plays dumb.  It's doing what?  Wow, I didn't know that.  How do you know that?  Can you help me?  What do I do?  With all kinds of excuses to pause, like turning on the computer, waiting for it to load, etc. like Sara said.  When the caller has been very specific -- such as this is a Windows problem -- and hubby can't string him along any longer, he eventually says something about his computer being a Mac or otherwise not matching the problem the caller identified.  He tends to get an angry Fxxx Yxx comment and a hang up.