I'm being audited by the IRS: Arrest Warrant already Issued
Should I go on the run and try to escape the long arm of the IRS? Should I change my name and start wearing a disguise?
Having the IRS come after you and your assets is not a fun experience. Those who have been through it say that it is one of the most invasive harrowing experiences they can remember. I have been in the spotlight of IRS before and these guys do not joke around. Don't worry – I wasn't being audited back then - just making arrangements to pay really really large tax bill that required several months of payments. I spent some time in their offices seeing how they deal with taxpayers. They carry a sidearm and are quick to shut you down if they feel like you are giving them any “attitude”. So what has got me on their radar again?
I was minding my own business - working at my rental unit when the phone rings with an unfamiliar number. When I answer the phone, the voice on the other end alerts me that this is an urgent call from the IRS. In a thick accent, he pronounces that I am currently under investigation and that a warrant has been issued for my arrest. It is very important that I resolve the situation immediately otherwise I could be sentenced to prison. A very scary call to receive - especially if you've ever dealt with them before.
What was my response?
“ That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard – you guys are a bunch of f*(!#& liars and I don't want you to ever call this number again!!”
Am I crazy?
No. But I am also not a sucker. You see - I was about to become a victim of fraud. Luckily – I already know first hand that:
- I have never cheated on my taxes or tried to write off things I don't have receipts for
- I have received several similar calls over the years – with no consequences
- IRS Audits don't worry me because I follow the letter of the law when it comes to taxes
and this is probably the biggest tip off...
I have been receiving phishing scam phone calls for years – I've gotten so many of them over the years that I can almost smell the scam before I even answer th phone. And I've heard them all...credit card companies that need my social security number to confirm my account, utility companies that want credit card information, people trying to sell me a free vacation if I attend their sales pitch – all of them have their hands out and think I'm stupid enough to just hand over personal information over the phone to a total stranger.
What makes me sad is that to the untrained ear – these guys sound pretty legit and it scares me that there are thousands of people out there falling for these scams. Especially older people, foreigners, and those who... let's just say might have been dropped on their head as a kid. Not everyone realizes that these are scammers at the other end of the line. They receive these phone calls and believe that they are legitimate – and proceed to give away information like their SSN, credit card numbers , bank accounts , and even let people gain access to their computer.
Please be careful when receiving calls like this. NEVER give them any information. The IRS won't call you by phone - they will send you a letter if they are launching an investigation. According to their own website -
Thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams. Scammers use the regular mail, telephone, or email to set up individuals, businesses, payroll and tax professionals. The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information
The IRS has issued several warnings about this on their website to inform potential victims. What are these thieves after? These thieves are looking for anything that will help them gain access to your accounts – so they can steal your money or identity. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and are told that they must pay it promptly through a gift card or wire transfer service. They may even threaten you with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. They use these tactics to try to scare you into complying with them. Those who are most vulnerable are elderly people or those who do not speak english very well, or fear deportation.
These scams are getting more and more sophisticated – with scammers posing as agents and proving fake identification and badge numbers to really try to sell it. These scum bags even go so far as to have used video relay services (VRS) to try to scam deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The taxpayers are urged not trust calls just because they are made through VRS, as interpreters don’t screen calls for validity.
So If you receive a call like this – do not believe them or you could find your bank accounts emptied and your identity stolen. Always verify - if you think it might be real, hang up the phone and dial the company directly. Never give away your info over the phone, email, text, or any other social media site. Use common sense when strangers reach out to you no matter how convincing they are.
For more information about IRS Phishing scams check out the Consumer Alert page on the IRS web site.
Please be sure to check out my others articles on real estate, investing , and cryptocurrency ( and some other random dog stuff)
I always upvote comments to my blog posts
Very intriguing content, fraud is a definitely a growth industry in certain corners of the illegitimate business world, that is for sure, it is very relentless. I like the perspective you have on this and liked the real estate posts after checking, keep up the excellent work!
thanks for checking out my blog! It's true that it seems like there is no line they wont cross to get what they want. As long people stay aware and be alert about what they do with their information we can them slow down - unfortunately there will always be people who fall for these scams. Thanks for the kind words!
For a split second I thought the title is a reality. In my country tax scam may not be big but people are lured into sending money by fake lottery calls, fake financial services agents, fake mobile phone operators etc.
I must say it was a wonderful awareness-raising article.
Thanks for reading the article - I would imagine that similar scams are probably a problem everywhere - the world is so full of greed and deceit - it's hard to get away from it. It seems that there will always be someone willing to take advantage of of vulnerable people. I wrote the article because I have received so many of these calls - I figured that I would try to help spread the word in case anyone receiving these calls thinks they are real - if it makes just one person think more critically when they get a call like this - then I will be happy.
I never got the IRS call , but get at least 2 a day from others .
I still get about 2-3 calls a week that are spam or scam - many just hang up cause they don't want to talk - they just want to leave a message - try to call the number back and it's unreachable.... so sick of all them - and then there are the ones calling for charity and most of these "charities" are pocketing the bulk of the money and very little goes to whatever group they are supposedly supporting..
I don't know what the answer is to this . But it is profitable and to many people get taken advantage of .
the only answer is to make people aware it - of course that will not stop it completely - but the more people that know about it - the harder it is for these scum bags - there is a series of really funny videos that shows people messing with the scammers - one guy goes so far as to get the scammer to inadvertently allow him access to his own computer - once he realized what was happening - he started yelling and crying saying they were going to kill him and that he was just trying to feed his family... another really funny one is where someone will get two scammers on the line and then get them talking to each other..hilarity ensues
Its a bad deal all the way around . and community awareness is the only answer .
I seen a guy on youtube who talks to them and some of it is funny as hell and some sad
Man, you got me with your clickbait title. Although I probably would have clicked on it anyways, I think it was a good one.
That's a scary scam. I didn't know they didn't call. I don't really give out personal information... even giving my cc number to my cc company is not something I'm thrilled about. Still, it's good to have a heads up that the scams are taking place. Then I'm even more likely to say "no" and hang up.
Thank you - it's the first time I've ever overtly put out a click -bait style headline - I gotta say I was a little proud of myself. ;)
Tax scams, mobile money fraud, name them. They are every where.
true - it seems like no matter where you look there is someone trying to take advantage of others - hopefully this will help other to be more aware and avoid falling for these hijinx - thanks for stopping by my blog
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