The pre-recorded message is a scam. The message is left by automated dialers set up by scammers in India. The computers are programmed to call thousands of numbers everyday, to leave these threatening messages.
When you call back, you will encounter one of those Indian scumbags who speak poor English! Recent immigrants and seniors are their primary target.
The IRS will never call anyone “out of the blue” and ask to pay. IRS will send notices by mail. Tax payers will get enough time to respond and dispute claims.
The IRS will always send written notice through the U.S. postal system of any taxes due, and will never ask for credit, debit or prepaid card details by any form of communication.
The IRS won’t threaten arrest, deportation, wage garnishment or loss of a driver’s license.
The IRS won’t ask you to share credit card information over the phone nor ask you to pay right away. f you get a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, ask his name, a call back number (but should not call back) and employee badge number all of which he is bound to provide. (Crooks would provide fake badge numbers)
If he provides details, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine if the caller was indeed the one he claims to be and whether IRS has a legitimate need to contact you.
According to the website of the Internal Revenue Service:
Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers. They generally use common names and surnames to identify themselves.
Scammers may be able to recite the last four digits of a victim’s Social Security Number.
Scammers spoof the IRS toll-free number on caller ID to make it appear that it’s the IRS calling.
Scammers sometimes send bogus IRS emails to some victims to support their bogus calls.
Victims hear background noise of other calls being conducted to mimic a call site.
After threatening victims with jail time or driver’s license revocation, scammers hang up and others soon call back pretending to be from the local police and the fake caller ID would support their claim.
For More Information : www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam
Warning issued by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration:
www.treasury.gov/tigta/press/press_tigta-2014-03.htm
If you owe Federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
If you don’t owe taxes, call and report the incident to TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration) at 800-366-4484.
File a complaint at the website of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml
File a complaint using the form at the link ; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
You should forward scam e-mails related to tax / IRS to ishing@irs.gov.
3 Answers
"Canada Revenue Service" calls us....been happening for a few years now. In spite of all the publicity about phoney telephone calls, people are still being duped! CRS will NEVER contact us by telephone about overdue taxes! :(
9 years ago. Rating: 6 | |