Community Chat

[NoelSeven]

It's a scam. The IRS never calls.

Don't worry about, but be glad you didn't give them any money.

[MaRina]

I got two calls, I never answered the phone. Sadly many have gotten scared and paid these scammers a lot of money. I heard a pastor fell for it, paid them 14,000 with PayPal.

[Toppers]

These scams are all terrible. They prey on people's fear.

I remember my husband got a phone call on a cell. phone that he had. He was really very upset because the person left a message for him about paying some kind of debt, and that if he didn't do it, he would be sued.

He couldn't understand the message very well, so he asked me to listen to it as he thought that it was real, and I told him not to worry about it-that it was one of the latest scams going around.

The man on the other end of the phone was pretty loud and excitable, and was trying to sound threatening.

[Kachina624]

The OP must live under a rock. There have been multiple warnings about this scam on local and national TV, as well as in the newspaper. It's no wonder scammers are so successful.

[Love my grandkids]

This scam has been well publicized for **months**. The IRS will ONLY repeat ONLY contact a person via first class mail.

[RainCityGirl]

I have received this call several different times, each one leaving a message on my voice machine. That should be evident that this is a scam. The IRS would not call and notify you of impending arrest and they most wouldn't call and leave a message. You would get something in registered mail. Secondly, the voice on the message is always one with an accent and often mispronouncing certain words or phrases. They always want YOU to call them at some number that is different from the caller ID number. These are all red flags. The first guy that left me a message told me of dire consequences of not calling them about my supposed income tax evasion, and then he says, "Have a nice day." Too funny.

The other scam that I get all the time has to do with what they call my "windows computer." This is an actual person, always with an accent, and it may be a woman or a man. They tell you there is some horrible virus they have detected, and they want to get onto your computer. They are easy to shame and usually after you tell them what scumbags they are, they hang up. Sometimes I like to play mind games with them, and it gets them all confused. Other times I just hang up on them. The funny thing is I don't have a "windows" computer, but that hasn't occurred to them in their pitch. I guess them assume everyone has PC's.

[Financialgrl]

I've gotten 4 or 5 of these calls over the last two years. I don't answer and they leave a message on my answering machine. I find it funny that the calls are made by people whose accent is very strong middle eastern that you can't understand what they are saying. Another red flag I'd think - if the IRS really called and if they really wanted money - it would seem that they'd use people that at least spoke proper English or English you were able to understand. That and the IRS will send out CP Notices via mail when they think you owe money.

[Lotus]

Fraud.

They just did a story about this same thing on my local news. They said the IRS will NEVER call you.

Report it to your local district attorney.

[qualitygal]

Moral of the story, they don't call you.

[Mothertrucker]

I wish they WOULD sue me, maybe that would delay the $11,000 I owe this year...

No, knowing the IRS, they make you pay WHILE they sue you....