I have a policy that I never answer my cell phone if I don’t know who’s calling me.
If a call is actually from someone I know, they’ll leave a message and I’ll get back to them.
But 9 times out of 10 it’s a tele-marketer or scammer of some sort.
So why bother answering? It can’t lead to anything good, right?
The IRS Calls Me
I got a call a couple months ago that I let go to voicemail. I checked it right away and was surprised that it was from the IRS!!!!
Here’s a transcript of what the guy said:
My name is Officer Steven White calling you from the Internal Revenue Service.
The hotline to my division is [leaves phone number].
Now, don’t try to disregard this message. The only reason behind this call is there’s been a lawsuit filed under your name, under your social number.
So give us a call back so we can discuss about this critical situation which has been filed on your name.
Call us back as soon as possible. Thank you. Have a great day.
At least that’s what he meant to say. His actual words were a combination of mispronunciations and misused word combinations.
Oh, and he had what sounded like a Russian accent.
Of course I called him back right away to see what the issue was! After all, he said there was a lawsuit! And that I should not disregard his message!
Yeah, right.
IRS Scammers Abound
This is EXACTLY why I don’t answer my phone from unknown numbers. This guy was clearly a scammer and, of course, I did not call him back.
The IRS actually has several pages on their site dedicated to scammers — it’s become that common. I thought I’d share a few with you in the event you ever receive a communication like I did.
Let’s begin with this page that says phone scams continue to be a serious threat. The key quote from their post:
“We continue to say if you are surprised to be hearing from us, then you’re not hearing from us.”
Next is a post titled “How to know it’s really the IRS calling or knocking on your door.” Some highlights:
Many taxpayers have encountered individuals impersonating IRS officials – in person, over the telephone and via email. Don’t get scammed. We want you to understand how and when the IRS contacts taxpayers and help you determine whether a contact you may have received is truly from an IRS employee.
The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service.
However, there are special circumstances in which the IRS will call or come to a home or business, such as when a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill, to secure a delinquent tax return or a delinquent employment tax payment, or to tour a business as part of an audit or during criminal investigations.
Even then, taxpayers will generally first receive several letters (called “notices”) from the IRS in the mail.
If an IRS representative visits you, he or she will always provide two forms of official credentials called a pocket commission and a HSPD-12 card. HSPD-12 is a government-wide standard for secure and reliable forms of identification for Federal employees and contractors. You have the right to see these credentials.
Finally they offer five easy ways to spot suspicious calls plus a quick tip to avoid IRS scams:
The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. In addition, IRS does not threaten taxpayers with lawsuits, imprisonment or other enforcement action. Recognizing these telltale signs of a phishing or tax scam could save you from becoming a victim.
In short, if something sounds fishy, it probably is. Contact the IRS directly (not using any number you were given, but go to the IRS website to get a contact method you know will get you to the real IRS) to check on anything that sounds even slightly off.
I Reported Him
I found an email address on the IRS site and sent them a note reporting this guy. If he’s calling me, he’s calling other people, and some will think it’s a valid call.
Who knows what he’ll ask them for, but it’s probably a decent amount of money.
The IRS sent me back an auto-responder thanking me and assuring me they will look into it.
So be warned. There are bad people out there.
Anyone else had anything like this happen to them?
Ms99to1percent says
Yes, I get those calls all the time saying that I owe a lot of taxes and that they have a warrant for my arrest ?.
The reason why they keep doing this is because people still fall for the scams. For example for every 100 people they call, 5 might fall for it. And that’s enough for them to stay in business even open up call centers and hire employees.
Gotta wonder though, what kind of people accept to work for such an employer???
Jim Wang says
I’ve been inundated with calls like this the last month or so. Between this and “call us back, you can lower your interest rate!” (I have no loans besides a mortgage, I doubt you can beat my fixed 30yr rate!), it feels like it’s been non-stop fraudulent calls. Ugh.
Memories says
I get calls to consolidate and lower the interest rate on my student loans. I graduated in 1996 without taking out a loan.
Debbie says
The IRS hasn’t called me yet but Microsoft does call every few months. What almost has gotten me is two phishing text messages. I almost hit the link in the text and then realized that company would not be contacting me that way. Now if I could just stop all the Robocalls for vacations to resorts, burial plots and “help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” body alarms. Yes, I have signed up for every no call, no mail, no everything list I can find. They are the locust of the technology world.
Dr. Curious says
I’ve recently been receiving spam phone calls from a multiple local numbers which has the SAME FIRST 7 DIGITS as my cell phone, with variable last 4 digits. My wife has the same experience. When I have answered, it has been either a local utility or student loan consolidator.
I can’t imagine why or how this occurs. Well, I can imagine why: it gets my attention and makes me more likely to answer. But “they” can’t actually have taken the effort to register phone numbers that are similar to our own. It’s creepy.
Richard Ryan says
Spoofing numbers with the same area code and prefix is now a very common phishing tactic. Use it to your advantage: If you get a call with the same area code and prefix, assume it is spam.
I do what ESI does – if the number is unknown, I don’t answer. 99% of the time, they don’t leave a message. I used to block the number afterwards, now I don’t even bother because they never call back. Calls are always from different numbers.
I know that a lot of folks need to pick up unknown numbers for various reasons. I tell those folks to use one of the spam detector apps like Hiya or TrueCaller (of course, this is for cell phones, I don’t know about landlines as it’s been years since I’ve had one 🙂 )
FIRE Marshall says
I second the Hiya/TrueCaller recommendation. The only time I run into problems is when I am listing a property for rent, then I get all kinds of callers. Usually I screen by area code and hope they leave a message.
Indio says
I get these calls all the time. Depending on how busy I am at the time, I will keep them on the phone as long as possible so they don’t scam innocent people. In fact I consider it my civic duty to do this. If they catch me while driving I don’t mind being entertained by the posturing.
One time the IRS wanted to be paid in Amazon and iTunes gift cards that they wanted me to buy at the local CVS! Another time they wanted me to wire money and I told them I couldn’t because the bank was closed. But it must work or they wouldn’t keep doing it.
My # is on do not Call list and I have filed complaints with FCC and cell company but they have no way to stop these since they originate outside of US.
The number of spam calls has dropped off because I think the scammers have figured out not to call me so now I’m getting stuff through text. I immediately block those #s.
I used to get calls for free home security systems. I told them I would get their system if they took my existing system – 4 large dogs that patrol the property and only eat steak.
They want to give me money for my business at 28% interest until they find out I only make $100 a month.
Turning the tables on the scammers is a necessity until the government and technonlogy stops this harassment and predatory activity.
Patsy says
I love this! Mixing humor in makes dealing with these low-lifes a tiny bit easier.
Richard Ryan says
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Very commendable of you. I know a fellow who loves to do this too. In fact, he turns the tables and starts asking “What are you wearing right now?” and taking it from there. 🙂
Amy says
Oh my god, that is the funniest thing ever! LOL
Lance @ My Strategic Dollar says
You know I don’t think I’ve ever got a call like this, thankfully. I do know that one time an employee at my condo HOA got a virus that said call them and he paid the fee to get it “unlocked.” That really didn’t make the virus go away, they just kept calling and asking for more money to help. Once myself and other board members realized this was happening we had to close the bank accounts down and transfer all funds into another one. Such a pain!
Mrs. Adventure Rich says
The IRS hasn’t called, but I had a similar call (terrible grammar, etc) telling me there was a warrant out for my arrest and I should call back immediately (oh, and that my arrest was imminent). Well, I don’t have a warrant for my arrest and I am certainly not behind bars!
Dan M says
Perhaps a fugitive at large!
I got a call that my ATT service was locked and I should call or wait to be transferred, but, I don’t have ATT service, so, I had a good laugh, at least I was mildly entertained.
mike says
This is my all time favorite scammer to play with. I’ve never had the Russian one, just Indian. We used to call them back from a conference room at work during lunch so several people could hear the interaction. Our most successful call lasted about 35min. They wanted us to go to a Walmart, get a Moneygram, and send it to them.
“Don’t tell anyone! we are monitoring you and the police will be there if you try anything! There is a warrant for your arrest!”
They wanted me to get into my car, honk the horn so they could hear it (I imitated one and that worked), drive to my bank, and then the Walmart. Luckily, I “live” right by a Walmart that has a bank inside, so the “drive” didn’t take long. They began suspecting I was messing with them, and then were sure when I didn’t know the correct fields to fill out in the Moneygram.
He yelled some very impolite words and told me to do some very impolite and improbable things with the Moneygram. Best lunch ever.
Tracey says
LOL!
Dave @ Married with Money says
Ugh that’s scary and makes me sad too. 🙁
My dad is a CPA and so thankfully I’ve been pretty well informed on how to handle anything with the IRS from a young age, if necessary. When in doubt, I’ll call my dad and ask for advice. But the one thing he told me was: the IRS will (essentially) never call and will never email. If they do, contact my dad (or the IRS directly) instead of reaching back out to whoever contacted me. If it’s a legit thing, they’ll have records of it and someone different can help me, too.
Tracey says
We get the Indian ones all the time. Their accent is so thick, it’s very hard to understand, but the things they say are hilarious. The last time they called, they told me the “sherriff was coming straightaway to put you in handcuffs”. Needless to say I was trembling in my boots. 🙂
What is sad though are the people (many elderly) who fall for this.
It’s a shame, but these people are like roaches…. there are 10 for every 1 that you can see!
Dads Dollars Debts says
Yup- I get those calls a few times a month. Can you share the IRS address and I too will start reporting…ah the beauty of scammers. We should start a new website called scanner 101…
JayCeezy says
Actually, I’m a connoisseur of ‘prank calls’ and have a large collection of recordings. Personal favorites are Ponce de la Phone, and Joel Lindley’s “Race Card”, check ’em out! The form is kind of antiquated today, and has moved to the internet. 419eater.com is by far the best of the ‘reverse-scam’ sites. Here’s a sample: http://www.419eater.com/html/john_boko.htm
As for the IRS, they prefer everything by US mail, and occasionally a ‘fax’ (who does fax anymore, right?). No e-mail, they don’t want a new ‘best friend’, and no direct line telephone. One piece of information that helped me greatly, is that the customer service computers do not retain or retrieve Social Security numbers. The service rep doesn’t need your entire SSN to identify you, so don’t ever give it to them. If they insist, it is a scam.
Richard Ryan says
Oh, wow, it’s been a couple of years since I followed 419eater. I used to be a regular reader but lost track.
He is a master at scam baiting. He has one story (well worth reading) of turning the tables and convincing a scammer to fly from Africa to Scotland to pick up their money. He has audio and video recordings to complement the story. It is simply priceless!
JayCeezy says
Hahahaahahaa! Wow! You are absolutely correct about those calls and correspondence with Mohamed Lucien. http://www.419eater.com/html/mohamed_lucien.htm
There is another guy who only pranks scammers and cold-call salespeople that call him, comedian Jim Florentine who used to be known as ‘Touch-tone Terrorist’ (changed the handle after 9/11 for obvious reasons). Ruthless!
Salesman: “Hi, this is Rich!”
Florentine: “Hi there b*tch!”
Salesman: “Actually, it’s Rich!”
Florentine: “I know…b*tch.”
Paper Tiger says
I get them all the time too and I do have a decent option that I am using that works fairly well for phone numbers that continue to call. My local phone provider/cable company has a service where you can block numbers that are repeatedly calling you. In my case, it is under “selective call features” on the provider’s website. If someone calls and I recognize the number as spam, I simply pick up the phone after they have hung up, hit *60 and it walks me through a couple of more numbers to key a signal to block that number. It will tell you the last number that called and asks you if you want to block it. When they call again, they will get a pre-recorded number that says this number is no longer accepting calls at this time.
Any other calls will ring through just fine but any numbers you choose to block will hear this message. I think you can add up to 30 numbers. It has worked pretty well for me and cut down on some of these calls. You can also remove those numbers after a while and add others as needed if you get close to your limit.
Paper Tiger says
Sorry, pre-recorded “message” not “number.”
Desertman says
When I get a call from a scammer I tell them I have to go get my wife so we can both hear the information. I set the phone down and continue whatever it was that I was doing. After about 10-15 minutes I’ll get back to them and say she’s in the bathroom and should be out soon. Usually 10 minutes later they’ve hung up or I just hang up the phone. Waste their time if at all possible.
Lisa says
Love this response. I will have to try it
Richard Ryan says
This is great too. I can’t remember where I head it, but a guy posted an audio clip where he strung one of these people along for at least 30 minutes.
He’d pretend to be going along with the scam, but was continuously “interrupted” with various domestic crises that he had to attend to immediately (“My son left the bathtub running! I have to clean it up before it ruins the tile! Please hold on – I’ll be right back!!)
He’d drawn the scammer in enough that he was willing to wait 5 minutes or more at a stretch until the guy got back on the line. And, of course, the guy *had* to profusely apologize and explain in detail how he’d dealt with the crisis. While the whole time the scammer is getting increasingly frustrated and trying to get him back on topic. 🙂
russ zellmer says
Ever since I signed up for Magic Jack voip for my home phone, i get a lot of spam calls.. typically, it just goes to the recorder to be deleted. I seldom pick up the home phone.. however, when I’m sitting at home bored, I may pick it up just to give them crap and act stupid.. no.. it doesn’t take much to entertain me.. if I get calls on my cell that I don’t recognize, i seldom answer it.
FullTimeFinance says
We haven’t received these calls but your advice here really applies to any company that calls you. Call them back via the number you find on the web on their official website, not via the one they give you on the phone.
Jeff B. says
I answer some and when it is spam, I block it.
getagrip says
I got the one where they were representing security from our bank. They said someone was withdrawing $497, just under the $500 limit that would catch their immediate attention, from my checking account. All they needed was to confirm the routing number on the bottom of my check and did I have that available? If you answer yes, they now have a recorded “yes” to whatever question they want to put in front of it. Fortunately, as soon as they asked for the account number, which they should have in front of them anyway, I recognized it as a scam. I told them I’d call the bank myself and reconnect with them, the person gave me a number, probably to a coconspirator, but said they were doing it for my benefit and I had to act quick and I shouldn’t hang up and why was it so hard to just give them the number, etc. They would have been the ones withdrawing the $497 or more from my checking account if I had caved. I can see how easy it would be to hit the elderly or someone not very savvy with these scams, and like others have said, they must work because they keep doing them.
A says
I’m generally interested in your posts (I’ve read them all), but this was a bit over the top in terms of clickbait and shady marketing and left a bad taste in my mouth. The IRS clearly did not call you and is not suing you, so why is that the title? It’s just my perspective, but I’d hope that you and your reader base expect better. I sincerely hope you have a great day and don’t take it the wrong way.
Lily He-Prudhomme says
I once had the prince of Nigeria reach out to me via email. It was lovely!
Unfortunately I can’t screen calls because of work so I get the stupidest scammers phoning. I think who would fall for it and Im reminded my parents who are immigrants and bad with English might just fall for it.
Thank you for reporting this guy.
Chris @ Keep Thrifty says
I got a robo-call along these lines a couple weeks back – notifying me of an IRS flag being placed on my account or some other nonsense.
I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t skip a beat but it was just one. It was pretty obvious, but any time you get a phone call and the letters “IRS” are mentioned you’re bound to groan a bit.
Good call on reporting the caller – I’ll have to see if I can remember when that call was and report the one that called me!
FIRECracker says
Wow, what an headline! I was thinking “Whoa that’s not good!” until you revealed that it was it was a scammer.
I’m with you on the not accepting calls from people I don’t know. Ditto for mail packages (started watching “Man Hunt for UNABOMBER” on Netflix, can you tell?)
Good work for reporting him!
Renae says
I just got the exact same phone call… four years later. 🙄