The IRS says taxpayer losses from phone scammers impersonating agency tax collectors have hit $26.5 million over the past couple of years and it’s again warning people to just hang up on anyone claiming they’re from the agency and demanding immediate payment.
The IRS has received reports of about 900,000 scammer contacts since October 2013 and says more than 5,000 victims have collectively paid over $26.5 million as a result. The callers fraudulently claim to be IRS officials and demand that taxpayers immediately send them payment.
The agency has responded with public service announcements reminding people that the IRS sends letters rather than calling taxpayers.
Meanwhile, tax filing season opened Tuesday, and the IRS says its systems are running smoothly.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
When will a policy, of attempting to prosecute the perpetrators of such schemes, be adopted? One way or another, it should be feasible to identify and arrest such, at the point of attempting to collect the money sent by victims.
Those weasel bastards should be shot on sight! No jail time the taxpayers do not want to pay for then losers ????????????
Get calls from debt collection agency.
Enterprise systems Inc.
another Scam FYI
Get Caller ID & Ans machine for phones to deter calls.
I have had 2 different calls claiming to be the IRS and telling me that I am going to jail if I don’t pay the IRS. I hung up, but saved the message and the phone number used to call me.
Yes, I constantly get calls threatening me with IRS collections. That and the ever present “there’s something wrong with your computer” scams. Every once in awhile I answer the phone, stay on the line and toy with these jerks. Most of them can’t even speak the language and will get frustrated with you when you start tying THEM up in knots. It can be so much fun to turn the tables on people like this.
LOL I have done that with those who want me to go to Wal-Mart and put $499.99 on a prepaid card just to get my 1 million that I won LOL I had one guy calling me each day for a week..I acted like some really old senile person and say ok I go do it now..heheheheh
Even if it really was the IRS, I wouldn’t give them a dime. Hell fire I’d know better, the gov. owes me every year not the other way around, stupids.