Scam IRS calls believed to have netted $50M

Posted 10/20/16

Despite arrests at a call center in Mubia, India, where aggressive IRS impersonation scam telephone calls were allegedly originating, Rhode Islanders should continue to be vigilant and simply hang up the telephone if they receive a telephone call

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Scam IRS calls believed to have netted $50M

Posted

Despite arrests at a call center in Mubia, India, where aggressive IRS impersonation scam telephone calls were allegedly originating, Rhode Islanders should continue to be vigilant and simply hang up the telephone if they receive a telephone call purported to be from the IRS demanding money or personal identifying information, according to United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George.

The reported arrests do not eliminate the possibility that others may still be perpetrating or impersonating the telephone scam. Since October 2013, American taxpayers have been subjected to unprecedented attempts to fraudulently obtain money by individuals impersonating Internal Revenue Service employees. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has received reports of more than 1.8 million impersonation related calls with nearly 9,400 victims reporting losses of nearly $50 million.

“Seemingly everyone, including me, has received a call, or multiple calls, from a person purporting to be from the IRS threatening arrest or legal action in court unless money is immediately paid,” said Neronha. “While it is good news that some are being held accountable for repeatedly seeking to victimize people in Rhode Island and across the country, we can expect similar calls going forward, because unfortunately this scam has proven to be successful in some instances. The right response when getting such a call is simple: don’t talk, just hang up.”

If you believe you may have fallen victim to an IRS impersonation scam, you may file a report with the TIGTA at www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml.

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  • RISchadenfreude

    These people aren't just after your money- in some cases, they are terrorists. People have called back to harass them or tell the scammers they know they're a fraud or are "on to them"; the scammers then call local law enforcement and tell them a violent crime is happening at their intended victim's address and tactical (SWAT) teams have been sent to their homes, putting the residents' and officers' lives at risk and costing taxpayers.

    If you get a pre-recorded message supposedly from the IRS, hang up, do NOT call back, and block the number, especially if the call was made to a mobile device. The IRS does not contact you by phone unless it's a last resort, or you ask them to. Once the number has been blocked, it's unlikely you'll hear from them again.

    Friday, October 21, 2016 Report this