OT - calls from the IRS

[gdw]

I've been getting multiple robo calls from the Pakistani, Indian, or Sri Lankan office of the IRS today threatening me with imminent arrest if I fail to call them within 24 hours. Attempts to contact them to resolve my tax problems have caused the poor agents answering the phones to lose their temper and hang up. Unfortunately the premature termination of our conversations means I'll probably be in jail tomorrow unable to enjoy the weekend. Such is the life of a tax cheat unless some of our forum members can come to my rescue. If enough of us call 1-917-460-2172, the 1 is probably unnecessary, there is a good chance that we can overwhelme their call center so that they can't access an outside line to contact the local gendarmes and have me or other tax cheats detained. Just call that number, 1-917-460-2172, and waste about 30 seconds of the agent's time. If you're too busy to call please feel free to supply that number to your friends, especially those enjoying 4/20, or post it on other forums. Thanks

[charliedid]

If you go to jail, can I has your bikes?

[rwsaunders]

You will enjoy this podcast then.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/363/enforcers/act-one

[avalonracing]

I got one too this Monday from 858-222-1045 where they said if I don't contact them I "will be taken under custody by the local cops". Yes, they used the word "cops".
Sounds legit, right?

Since I gave you all the number you are welcome to call and send them money so the "cops" don't take you too.

[zmudshark]

Mine all come from upstate NY.

[bart998]

I just tell them I work as an investigator for the IRS out of (local) office, and I am now investigating the persons at the phone # on my caller id. Then I laugh as they quickly hang up.

[Louis]

I don't even bother to answer my home phone. If it's important they'll leave a message and I'll call back.

[bikinchris]

I got one too this Monday from 858-222-1045 where they said if I don't contact them I "will be taken under custody by the local cops". Yes, they used the word "cops".
Sounds legit, right?

Since I gave you all the number you are welcome to call and send them money so the "cops" don't take you too.

Just like the phishing emails, they really don't want to mess with intelligent people. If you're smart enough to figure out it's a scam in the first few seconds, they would prefer to cast their net somewhere else.

[a4a]

I get those calls all. the. time. They now spoof local numbers which, if I'm not on guard, I'll answer. Sometimes I just mess with them if I have time. Most of the time I just hang up.

[pdmtong]

the IRS NEVER calls..beware a USPS correspondence

[Louis]

the IRS NEVER calls..beware a USPS correspondence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tym0MObFpTI

[BobO]

Just like the phishing emails, they really don't want to mess with intelligent people. If you're smart enough to figure out it's a scam in the first few seconds, they would prefer to cast their net somewhere else.

When I have time it's fun to play dumb and see where it goes, then drop a bomb on them like, "I am a special agent for the FBI." Click. :p

[texasbbq]

I get them from all over the US, seems like a different area code each time. Blocking the callers number each time hasn't had any effect.

[fignon's barber]

How come every IRS officer calling from Pakistan is named Officer Patrick O'Neil? What are the odds?

[RobJ]

How come every IRS officer calling from Pakistan is named Officer Patrick O'Neil? What are the odds?



Surprising they're not using 'Rob Jones' [emoji14]. Ton of these calls and they're automated synthetic voices too. Now we have a jury duty scam going on.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blakcloud]

Canadians are not immune to this. I have been regularly been getting these calls. Change IRS with CRA and the same script.

[smontanaro]

"Consumers get an estimated 98 million robocalls daily, according to government watchdog agencies."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2018/04/20/could-we-please-love-all-things-good-stop-these-annoying-robocalls/535555002/

[Keith A]

I got one too this Monday from 858-222-1045 where they said if I don't contact them I "will be taken under custody by the local cops". Yes, they used the word "cops".
Sounds legit, right?

Since I gave you all the number you are welcome to call and send them money so the "cops" don't take you too.Got this one too, and I even kept the recording as the "local cops" was humorous.

[Llewellyn]

These types of scam calls have been rife if Australia for a couple of years. Maybe they weren't getting enough victims here so they've turned their sights to the US. Personaly we haven't had them from the ATO but we get them from the "Accident Investigation Department". They also like to send them via text message.

[parris]

I had a gentleman come to my desk a couple of months ago terrified with one of these calls. He's here on a student visa so he's not use to the scams. The great part is that he still had the scammer's on the phone so some LE assistance was given... ;)

The ones over and above this that P**s me off are the scams where older people send money to "save" a family member. There are several cases that I've seen recently.

[Keith A]

Got another one this morning, same exact voice as before, but they now say the "local police" instead of "local cops".

[bikingshearer]

Real calls (as opposed to robocalls) like this are why I wish I had a very, very load police whistle next to the phone at all times.

I'll never really do it, but the thought makes me giggle in a malicious, "yeah it was wrong but he had it coming" sort of way.

[Veloo]

Wonder if you'd get in trouble if you posted something on Craigslist (or Kijiji) proposing something similar like:

The following numbers are scammers - let's jam their lines:

416-
647-
905-

Just not sure what category would be best.

[smontanaro]

Got another one this morning, same exact voice as before, but they now say the "local police" instead of "local cops".Dang! They're getting good. They have spies on The Paceline!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[benb]

Sounds like we can form a team in prison if the IRS will let us bike around the prison yard.

You can't really do anything about blocking these. I've been blocking them 1 by 1 but it's fairly pointless.

The IP Telephony Spec allows the devices to change the phone # that comes through on the call. It's up to the carrier/customer to follow an honor system and report who is calling truthfully.

The scammers are just using a software package that drives their IP Telephony switch. It can make a million calls and every call will look like it came from a different #. 1 million calls, 1 million phone #s. None of the phone #s are actually the scammers #.

So you block it and you just block someone else. If they hit the lottery they'd pick a # that is one of your contacts and your iPhone/Android would tell you it was your mother calling.

From what I've read one of the reasons this is so hard to stop is there is usually some guy in the US to collect the money but all the activity comes out of India beyond the reach of the FTC/FBI/whatever.

[gdw]

"The IP Telephony Spec allows the devices to change the phone # that comes through on the call. It's up to the carrier/customer to follow an honor system and report who is calling truthfully.

The scammers are just using a software package that drives their IP Telephony switch. It can make a million calls and every call will look like it came from a different #. 1 million calls, 1 million phone #s. None of the phone #s are actually the scammers #."

I received five calls in one day from the same number and was able to reach them by redialing . The first time I called our conversation ended after the clown became frustrated with my questions and hung up. He started to curse at me as soon as he picked up the phone the second time. Third and subsequent calls resulted in immediate hangups without any conversation. How was I able to return their calls if the software is constantly changing the number?

[unterhausen]

there are some low-rent work from home scam victims doing this. So they aren't all using software that can switch the number.

I don't answer any calls from our exchange, because all the business numbers in this area are on two other exchanges. So that's convenient. We also have our phone to go to voicemail after two rings.

I would suggest it's not wise to call them back. If there is a callback number, just forward the number to the IRS. There was a big police action in India last year that temporarily put a damper on the calls. It was from one of the richest cities in India. So not all is hopeless.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/08/world/asia/indian-man-accused-in-multimillion-dollar-call-center-swindle-is-held.html

Another thing you can do is subscribe to the jolly roger telephone company service and annoy them into dropping your number. The callers pay for your number, and they don't like paying for a number protected by jolly roger.
http://www.jollyrogertelco.com/

[longlist]

I got one from the number 987-654-3210.

[HenryA]

I like to start the interaction with a lot of loud “whaaaaatttttt?” and “speak up, I’m a little deaf”. Takes up a few minutes of their time at minimum effort. The microsoft support calls I deliver a special treat - sometimes it can take 15 minutes if I’m feeling especially frisky and have nothing else to do.

[avalonracing]

Got this one too, and I even kept the recording as the "local cops" was humorous.

I kept the recording too. It also looks good on the iPhone visual voicemail.

[Tony T]

I like to start the interaction with a lot of loud “whaaaaatttttt?” and “speak up, I’m a little deaf”. Takes up a few minutes of their time at minimum effort. The microsoft support calls I deliver a special treat - sometimes it can take 15 minutes if I’m feeling especially frisky and have nothing else to do.

Yes, I do this also, usually after they repeat themselves 2 or 3 times, they hang up, and I smile :)

Blocking and calling back the number on caller ID usually doesn't work anymore as they all spoof (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID_spoofing) now.