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IRS Law Suit
Old 03-07-2016, 01:42 PM   #1
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IRS Law Suit

Just learned today that the IRS has filed a suit against me.

I was contacted on my cell phone. The initial phone ID was from Russia. I let it go to message. I was surprised that they left a message (a recording), directing me to call a number in Charlotte, NC. where they would be more than happy to help me with the suit.

Seriously, how often do these scams work? Then I think of my 90 year old mother, and what she might do if she answered this call.

Has any one else experienced this? Is this something I should report? To whom?

Thanks for the input.
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:49 PM   #2
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A scam, by any other name, would smell as bad ..

Life is too short to waste time with this. Thanks for sharing, I say move on and forget it.
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:50 PM   #3
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FYI. This is an old one. I've gotten that call a dozen or more times over the past few months. I keep hoping they'll get cancer and die a painful death but, so far, the phone keeps ringing.
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:58 PM   #4
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The beauty of voicemail...


Ironic though that the IRS does not need to sue you in any court to initiate collections - they have the power to levy/seize/garnish directly.
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:58 PM   #5
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A taste of their own medicine:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilot2013 View Post
I got the same threatening IRS call (they left voicemail with call back number. SO, I called them back and when they answered as "so and so with the IRS, I replied, "Yes, this is Special Agent Jim ***** with the FBI, are you reporting a fraudulent IRS scam call?" They hung up.

I called back 5 times before they left the phone off the hook.

Yeah, I had nothing better to do... LOL
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Old 03-07-2016, 10:54 PM   #6
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I have a relative in a retirement home, the "tax folks" called and left a message saying to call back or they would sue, and that perhaps a lawyer was needed as well.

It of course was a scam, but my relative was actually nervous and worried and might have returned the call except I was there to explain the scam, and that the tax folks never call, they send letters requesting proof, etc.
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Old 03-08-2016, 06:43 AM   #7
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These scammers have no morals whatsoever.

... I really like my call blocker.
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Old 03-08-2016, 06:44 AM   #8
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As tempting it is to string these scammers along, I hate even more just being on the phone with anyone I don't want to talk to. I just yell back, "no no no, you're a SCAMMER!" and hang up.
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Old 03-08-2016, 08:54 AM   #9
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Install the "Mr Number" app on your cell phone. It does an excellent job of blocking scam calls.
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Old 03-08-2016, 09:31 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brdofpray View Post

Has any one else experienced this? Is this something I should report? To whom?

Thanks for the input.
The FTC has a site where to report these types of scams...https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1

I have reported several calls that I have received. I hope others do the same, to let the FTC know the scope of this problem.

omni
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Old 03-08-2016, 10:56 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by omni550 View Post
The FTC has a site where to report these types of scams...https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1

I have reported several calls that I have received. I hope others do the same, to let the FTC know the scope of this problem.

omni
If it makes you feel better fine.

But in reality, look at any of the many websites that have people report the scammers - the FTC gets thousands of these complaints, and they rarely ever do anything, and the ones they do track down have their funds arranged such that they never can even pay the slap-on-the-wrist $10,000 fine.

The FTC made a big deal about nabbing 'Rachel' - did she go away? No, they just pop up under a different business name.

If they use a real number, (many are using rotating local Caller IDs to fool the blockers), I enter them into my VOIP 'rules' and forward them to the FTC.

-ERD50
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Old 03-08-2016, 11:27 AM   #12
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Sometimes I play along. The other fun one is the IT support folks calling about a virus. At least as long as I am able to keep them on the phone, they are unable to call and try to scam others. :O)
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Old 03-08-2016, 01:21 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris7 View Post
Sometimes I play along. The other fun one is the IT support folks calling about a virus. At least as long as I am able to keep them on the phone, they are unable to call and try to scam others. :O)
I generally don't bother to do this, but I appreciate others who are willing to invest the time to keep the jerks occupied for a few mins. At least it's a few mins that one of them isn't hassling me! Give 'em hell Chris7!
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Old 03-08-2016, 01:34 PM   #14
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Before I got my Sentry box, someone "from the IRS" sounding pretty official left a message. There was no "call to action"*, though, so I was left wondering. It turns out the answering machine cut-off what I was supposed to do.

If you want a laugh, search "Jolly Roger Telephone Company" on youtube or NPR.

* I was employed doing IT in a direct marketing department for a while...that's what they call what they want you to do...."call to action"
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Old 03-08-2016, 02:06 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
If it makes you feel better fine.

But in reality, look at any of the many websites that have people report the scammers - the FTC gets thousands of these complaints, and they rarely ever do anything, and the ones they do track down have their funds arranged such that they never can even pay the slap-on-the-wrist $10,000 fine.

The FTC made a big deal about nabbing 'Rachel' - did she go away? No, they just pop up under a different business name.

If they use a real number, (many are using rotating local Caller IDs to fool the blockers), I enter them into my VOIP 'rules' and forward them to the FTC.

-ERD50
To omni's point I think the idea about reporting them was to create a record that document's the scope of the problem that may suggest the need for more resources/laws to fight it -- not to catch the individual under today's laws.
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Old 03-08-2016, 02:15 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by omni550 View Post
The FTC has a site where to report these types of scams...https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1

I have reported several calls that I have received. I hope others do the same, to let the FTC know the scope of this problem.

omni
I appreciate the link and I may start reporting the calls as well.
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Old 03-08-2016, 03:44 PM   #17
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To omni's point I think the idea about reporting them was to create a record that document's the scope of the problem that may suggest the need for more resources/laws to fight it -- not to catch the individual under today's laws.
Well, maybe. But I do think that is tilting at windmills. Just do some reading on the subject.

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Old 03-08-2016, 04:31 PM   #18
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We've gotten to be big users of caller id...if we don't know the number we simply don't answer
I figure Anything important they will leave a message...

Chances are they want money or to scam.


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Old 03-08-2016, 06:23 PM   #19
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We've received 3 of these calls on our answering machine. What's pretty funny is who they claim they are ("This is so-and-so" representing...):


1. The first call was from 'Dennis Quaid' (the actor)
2. The second call was from 'Robert Morris' (the name of a local university and one of Pennsylvania's signers of the Declaration of Independence)
3. The third call was from 'Steve Martin' (the comedian)


They must have run out of names as we haven't received a call in a couple of weeks now.
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Old 03-08-2016, 09:42 PM   #20
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Until last month, I received calls from those phone scammers at least once a week. I remember the last time they called me, they used 314 area code. I Googled the number, and found that some people have reported the number. I think it's better if you block the number if possible, and report it to FTC.
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