Do not respond to any voicemails from the "Treasury Department, Department of Legal Affairs" threatening legal action in a heavy Indian accent. That department in fact doesn't exist in the US government.

It's scary that they know my name and unlisted phone #, as well as how to pronounce my name correctly.

"Unlisted phone #" . . . that's so cute in the 21st C.

I've got an unlisted one to M. Heck, I don't even have a phone since Ms engatwork knocked the rotary dial unit off the wall with the mop about three years ago. The markings inside the phone indicated it was dated 1963. Damn I miss that phone. Only reason I've still got a hard line is for the internet.

I feel like I am part of their scam every time I send that check to em.

__________________
Jim

Family's house. It's a phone # that I haven't used in about 20 years.

I believe its the first time you got this call?

__________________
2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

I've gotten a few of these calls, also the other clowns who call and tell me my Windows computer (uh huh) is sending them error codes. They're fun to goof on; lead them on acting all concerned for a while and then casually start asking questions about their wives and daughters.

__________________
You're a daisy if you do.
__________________________________
84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

I've gotten scam emails from the IRS, never a call.

thats what I thought,

remember that any department of the govt will never give you a call, their only way of contacting you is through the USPS.

next time when you pick up a phone and its the IRS or any other funny accent department - you know the drill.

I had one call me and he had an indian accent, I could hear voices in the background and asked him about the same voices in the same language that was being spoken in the back.

The next thing I heard was a click.

__________________
2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

^^^

Yep.

Imagine all those scammers don't want to buy a stamp.

The local version here is a person claiming to be law enforcement and trying to get you to pay for a speeding ticket over the phone with a credit card to avoid license suspension and arrest warrant.

What has always been troubling is the scams must be generally profitable. Or they would not be running them. People do get sucked in.

Not a bad one but has not reached our area yet. Your computer has issues is drying up though locally at last.

Client sent me an email the other day when I was busy. Next day I went to find it in IN box, not there?? WTF? I didn't erase it.
Wait! What's this? "AVG Virus Vault" folder? Never saw that before. Open folder, message subject was about tax refund & to open attachment for details.
Call the guy and ask what he sent, thinking the message was his and his computer has a virus. He says not his but was forwarding to me. (Gee thanks)
Neither of us opened the attachment.
Told him the sender's address was a give away. something like ...irsgov.de.
Dead giveaway. The real IRS website [url]www.irs.gov And they never communicate with taxpayers via email afaik.
I have used email with agents about scheduling appts. a couple of times, but never about official business.

If you ever get a call from an IRS poser, tell them for me to "Go F*ck Yourself". I would, in a NY minute.

IRS Warns Taxpayers to Guard Against New Tricks by Scam Artists; Losses Top $20 Million

Got a few of these calls in the past two years. The first was from 'Publisher's Clearing-House' claiming I'd won the million dollar prize. Guy with an accent, from 'Jamaica' according to my caller ID. He said all I needed to do was confirm my identity by going to Walmart and sending 3 moneygrams for $3500!
I strung him along for awhile as I recorded the conversation, then told him he was a scam, that I'd already talked to the police, and to go bother someone else.

Next came the one last January, from the 'IRS', that began with a message on my machine from a Marin, California area code, about an urgent tax matter and I needed to call back and have my attorney present. So I called back and another foreign accent (that sounded alot like the one from Publisher's Clearing-House') said that the IRS had received judgement against me for $8400 and I needed to pay immediately or else my home, all assets and bank accounts would be seized. When I stated it was odd that the number he called was my second home, the IRS doesn't make these calls, and that he was a scam, he replied "OK Mr Smart-Mouth, this is NOT a scam and you just wait there for the sheriff!" I'm still waiting.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a recorder handy that time, but last week I got another chance. The 'IRS' called my brother on his machine. Same message, same accent, different area code. So I told my brother to give me the number and I would call back. Unfortunately, I only recorded about 30 seconds because right after I asked "What seems to be the problem?", the dirtbag hung up on me. Maybe he recognized my voice, or my name on HIS caller-ID.
Anyway, I'm very disappointed I didn't get the chance to tell him "I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE SHERIFF!".

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW