Tuesday, March 31, 2015
It’s easy to scam someone who did something wrong by telling them they need to fix their mistake. This is why thousands of people get scammed into paying back taxes to the IRS—the IRS has nothing to do with these scams, of course, but the predators prey on peoples’ fear of Uncle Sam. It all begins with the fraudster making a phone call, pretending to be an IRS employee.
They have other tricks up their sleeve too, such as making the caller ID show a number that appears to be coming from the IRS and identifying themselves with phony IRS badge numbers. They’ll even leave urgent messages if they get voicemail.
Preying on emotions, the crook gets vulnerable people to give up private information right then and there—enough information for the crook to commit some kind of identity theft crime. When many people hear “IRS,” they get scared. Scammers have ripped off millions of dollars as a result.
The IRS won’t give you a phone call if you’re delinquent in your tax payment. They’ll snail mail you an official notice instead. In fact, the IRS, despite its negative stereotype, won’t use scare tactics or threatening verbiage. Anyone on the phone who does this is pond scum; hang up immediately.
The IRS also won’t ever just up and e-mail you about back taxes. If you see “IRS” in a subject line, do not open it. Instead, forward it to phishing@irs.gov and delete it.
If you want to have a little fun with these thieves, then if you ever get a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, nonchalantly tell them that you yourself work for the IRS. See what happens.
A woman in Denver, Rachel Fitzsimmons, received calls from the “IRS” telling her they were filing a lawsuit against her. The message was a robotic-sounding female voice that left a call-back number. At first she was unnerved, but then after doing some research, recognized this as a scam. She called back the number, let the man talk a little with the threat, then told him she worked for the IRS (she doesn’t). He immediately hung up. Busted!
Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.
About the Author
ROBERT SICILIANO, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com is fiercely committed to informing, educating, and empowering Americans so they can be protected from violence and crime in the physical and virtual worlds. His "tell it like it is" style is sought after by major media outlets, executives in the C-Suite of leading corporations, meeting planners, and community leaders to get the straight talk they need to stay safe in a world in which physical and virtual crime is commonplace. Siciliano is accessible, real, professional, and ready to weigh in and comment at a moment's notice on breaking news.
Similar Posts
- 10 Skeevy Scams to watch
You may think you’re not dumb enough to fall for scams, but consider that someone you care deeply about is naïve enough to be conned. Besides, some scams are so clever that even those who think they’re scam-proof have actually been taken for a ride. Sometimes fraudsters pose as an authority figure. Some claim you won - How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft During Tax Season
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert Approximately 155 million tax forms are filed annually. People need to understand that thieves are inventing new ways to steal identities each and every day. And since tax time is a key period when we see a spike in identity theft, it’s crucial that we get the word out now and - Beware Of 10 Tax-time Scams
We are approaching tax time. Scammers are ramped up and looking for your money. Learn these tax season scam tips and watch your back. 1. Text messaging scams or smishing a.k.a Phexting. Like phishing but texting. Criminal hackers have access to technology that generates cell phone numbers and access to mass text messaging services. They send - Beware of Robo-Call Scams
While out for an evening with friends talking about everything under the sun, including security, which I’m obsessed with – and people often quiz me anyways, my mobile rang from an “unknown” number. The caller, a computer, stated “Hello, this is a call from Eastern Bank. Your MasterCard account has been locked. Please press 1 - FTC: Tech Support Scams are baaaaack!
They’re back, and they’re scarier than fangy blood sucking ghosts: tech support scammers. They want to suck you dry of your last penny. A tech support scam may go as follows: You receive a call from someone informing you that your computer is infected with a really bad virus and needs prompt attention. The crook tells