IRS calls

Re: IRS calls

Jim Barbour

If you are, we will come visit - I am sure someone in this group has a hacksaw

Re: IRS calls

Bill Howatt

Had similar call but for us Canadians it is the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) instead of IRS.

I was asked to bring my lawyer to the local courthouse the next morning because of very serious tax issues. I guess he would have asked me for my credit card number or similar so the matter could be fixed except I told him what I thought of him before he could proceed.

Bill

Re: IRS calls

John K Jordan

If I somehow pick up on one of those scam calls that has an actual person on the line I sometimes ask them to hold for a moment. Oddest thing, when I check later we have somehow been disconnected.

JKJ

Re: IRS calls

Barry Irby

I insist they have to give ME Their social security number and let me run a back ground check on them. Some times I only speak Lithuanin or Spanlich or so other made up language. Great job for a three year old if you have one handy.

Re: IRS calls

Bill Turpin in WNC mountains

Mention the no-call list and they hang up quickly!

Re: IRS calls

Barry L Elder

Once again, the IRS will not make an initial contact by telephone, period!

Re: IRS calls

Roger Chandler

Yeah, I got one of those "IRS" calls this morning while out in the shop, putting a finish on a small purple heart bowl for my wife's desk at work. Thick accent, and since the call was left on my answering machine, I just deleted it.

Had I picked up the phone, that guy would have been twisting in the wind, with all the demands I would have made for his information, etc.

One has to think the CIA, or IRS or Justice Dept. is aware of this happening on a large scale, and could certainly track down phone numbers......at least one would think so, but I do know that some federal law enforcement agencies are hard at work on cyber scams/hacking.

I hope they catch up with these scoundrels!

Re: IRS calls

Bob Lalonde

We get them all the time and just don't answer. Last week though, there was a new twist. The person speaking was actually a computer voice and not very well disguised either. I hear they're getting smarter but this seems pretty dumb.

Re: IRS calls

David Walser

The IRS, et al, are aware of these scams. They have repeatedly published warnings that the IRS does NOT initiate contact with taxpayers by phone or email. As for capturing everyone's phone data to track down the culprits, that would require listening in on everyone's phone calls to know whether they are legit or not. Somehow, to me, the prize (cracking down on the scammers) isn't worth the loss of privacy it would require. YMMV.

Want to know the latest scam? Tax professionals are receiving emails "from" tax software publishers telling them its time to install an update of their tax preparation software. (These updates occur very frequently, so the emails are not unusual.) Clicking on the link downloads malware that uploads the personal data of all the professional's clients. Fortunately, most of the better tax professionals are pretty tech savy, so they won't fall for the scam. (We initiate software updates from within the tax software, NOT by clicking on a link in an email.) But, I don't doubt a lot of seasonal tax preparers have clicked on the link. The IRS is aware of the scam and is warning preparers to avoid it.

In Canada

Mike Brazeau

A few weeks ago, the same thing was going on, but in the name of the CRA, Canadian Revenue Agency. They were asking people to pay in ITunes Gift Cards! Believe it or not someone actually bought several hundred dollars of them and turned them over. Could hardly be sympathetic.