IRS phone call scam

11 years ago

Today we had a phone call purportedly from the IRS. It said to call back before close of day and use this referral number. After dialing and waiting quite a long time, it occurred to my husband that it might be a scam. Checked the phone number on the computer where many responders proclaimed it a scam. Hubby played along for awhile, refused to give info and said he thought it was a scam. Voice assured him it wasn't . Wanted ss#. Hubby said you called me, use the reference number you gave me. Finally he told them he would call back using the IRS number in the phone book.

Featured Answer

arkansas girl

11 years ago

teri, was this in your USPS mail? Or mail as in email? I would think that you should take this to the post office and turn it over to the authorities because now it becomes mail fraud which I would think is probably a felony offense? Not sure but it's something pretty serious!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

asm198 - Zone 6a (MO)
11 years ago
It's a common scam. http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
11 years ago
Yes for a while I was getting several a day, thankfully they moved on.
Related Discussions
Weirdest scam call ever!
Q
Comments (49)
So I had another call today from a private number. Woman id'd herself and wanted to speak to Annie Deighnaugh. I said who was she with, she named a firm that didn't mean anything to me. I said what does she want and she refused to say anything other than she has personal business with Annie Deighnaugh. I refused to ID who I was and since I wouldn't she would say nothing else. I asked her to give me a general idea what it was about and she would only say "personal business with Annie Deighnaugh". She did say she wasn't trying to sell me anything. So we were at an impasse. I told her if she really knew Annie Deighnaugh, she'd have other ways of contacting her and suggested she use it. She said she would try again later, and I told her not to call again. I suspect it was a call reminding us to fill out a proxy statement. But how ridiculous. I could've been anyone and misrepresented myself as Annie Deighnaugh, so why on earth would that make a difference? How could they possibly trust that I was who I said I was? And if it was about a proxy vote, why couldn't she say that? It's just getting super bizarro!
...See More
DEA scam phone call
Q
Comments (12)
I answered the phone because I had been left a detailed message about a possible DEA investigation that might involve me. Normally, I don't answer if I don't recognize the number, but I was a little concerned about this. The caller was very threatening and abusive from the beginning. I never ordered any medicine online, except through my prescription plan and medicine for my dog for which I had a prescription. He knew my name and address. Even though I was totally innocent, I felt a little scared, and had I been someone a little more naive, I, too, might have been tempted to pay a fine just to get them off my back. He got no information from me, although he pressed for a lot...where do you work, you know you're going to lose your job,etc. Heinous people. I reported into the DEA hotline.
...See More
The Lady from IRS Called Me Twice
Q
Comments (27)
I had the same experience as bob_cville...got a letter from IRS and had to call them. No other option. I receive SS survivor's benefits and the letter said I may qualify for more $ on my own retirement account, so I may want to apply for retirement benefits. It's possible to look at potential benefits online, EXCEPT if you are currently receiving any SS benefits. It sounded good to me, until the 75 min wait on hold- and the person I talked to couldn't help me, she was only able to make an appt for me to apply. That was in early May, the first available appt is July 5!! And if I have to cancel or move it, I have to call and wait on hold for another hour or more; it's crazy making. Then 2 weeks later, I received a letter saying that my application for SSI was denied. I never applied for SSI, it was not mentioned in my conversation with the agent....(I know I wouldn't qualify, so would never have applied for it). What a total waste of govt resources to send me that letter.
...See More
Another Phone Scam
Q
Comments (13)
You're only half right there sushipup1. SSI is Supplemental Security Income, yes, but it is NOT disability. RSDI (Retirement Survivors And Disability Insurance) is the "disability" program. It's sometimes referred to as SSD or SSDI. SSI is an income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes) designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income. It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. People on "disability" are able to also apply for SSI if they meet the requirements but it's very different from the disability coverage. There's so many scumballs out there. I think phones should have a button on them whereby you can push it to activate dumping a pail of water on them and then give a 50,000 volt zap to telemarketers and scammers. Voltage would increase every time they call someone. That would cut down on the lowlife calls from these "poor people who are just trying to make a living and feed their starving children..." to whom we should talk so nice and considerate!
...See More
arkansas girl
11 years ago
We were getting these for a while too. They were really stupid sounding and the man had a thick foreign accent and he was sounding all mean and nasty...HA! It was very obviously a scam. Apparently they have tried to make it sound more legitimate! Just FWIW, the IRS will never call anyone on the phone. Their first line of communication is always a letter. I suppose that will be next, the scammers will mail us a really official looking letter?
Hellion
11 years ago
The IRS does not call you and neither do the police departments. Don't call the numbers back.
User
11 years ago
We had one like that. Hubby took the phone and asked the guy his employee ID number. Guy asked why and hubby told him he works for the IRS and wants to give the guy a good review. (Hubby doesn't work for the IRS, was just giving the guy some of his own medicine.) We haven't had any more calls.
terilyn
11 years ago
Look out, we got a very official looking letter yesterday, saying they couldn't process our return without identity verification. We haven't filed yet. Called our accountant, he said it was a scam.
terilyn
11 years ago
In was USPS mail. Husband has been on hold with the IRS for over an hour now.
joyfulguy
11 years ago
Hi terilyn,

Can he invoice them for his waiting time?

Maybe he should try - to see what reaction he might get ... but ... maybe not, if he wouldn't care for even a preliminary audit.

o j
Jessica Barlow
11 years ago
Thanks for the heads up! The was obviously a scam. Good thing you guys hung up, though you never should have called in the first place. Were you aware that the scammers can phone numbers that looked like toll free hotlines but are actually premium numbers. Calls to these numbers can charge you enormously.
Jessica Barlow
11 years ago
Well, next time you guys get a phone call from someone claiming to be from IRS and asking for money, here's what you should do:

1. If you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS. They can help you set up a payment arrangement.

2. If you get a call and you know it's a scam, refer the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

3. File a complaint with the FTC through their website.

4. Expose the phone scam by reporting it to Callercenter.com. Submit a complaint and warn others.

Remember that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers to discuss tax issue and demand immediate payment.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I received one of the IRS letters, and called them via the number in phone book--not a number or email addrs on the letter. I was told the letter was legitimate, sent in response to a scam tax filing. I was advised to return the enclosed form to the address listed, with the following handwritten message, "I did not file a tax return."

IRS phone call scam

arkansas girl

Comments (12)

asm198 - Zone 6a (MO)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

Related Discussions

arkansas girl

Hellion

User

terilyn

terilyn

joyfulguy

Jessica Barlow

Jessica Barlow

mama goose_gw zn6OH

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US