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Post by molove on Aug 27, 2014 0:56:22 GMT
I wanted to let the peas know about a scam--I don't think it's new, but new to me.
I got some very aggressive voicemails on my cell phone. Saying it's the IRS, critical matter, etc. I ignored the 2 messages.
Today, they called and I answered. A man who barely spoke English, of Middle Eastern descent. I have a really good ear for thick accents. My own mom is ESL and I work in a very culturally diverse program with many languages spoken. It was ridiculous trying to understand Jeff Morgan. The number that came up on my cell is 888-394-6943.
He gives a badge number and a file number as reference. He proceeds to tell me the call is being recorded. Bottom line: they (IRS) are taking legal action against me for unpaid or miscalculated tax payments and that after investigation, it was determined it was intentional and fraud.
He spouts lots of numbers and codes I've violated. I decide to play along, despite understanding every 5th word. I repeat back to him what I think he said. I ask him to repeat it again, slowly because this is important and I want to understand. I do this with every sentence.
He finally tells me that someone from our local police department is going to call me in 45 minutes and come to my house to deliver my file and talk with me. He warns that I may be arrested at that time. That liens have already been put on my assets and that my employer is being contacted as well. My bank accounts will be frozen in 24 hours.
I say that this is unusual for IRS and my experience is that they contact you by certified mail. I was confused, so please explain this again, and in great detail.
He's super aggressive and mean, very threatening. Telling me I need to take this very seriously. Oh, but I am
Finally, I thank him for his time. I tell him that I, too, have been recording this conversation. At that point, he hung up on me.
So, just a heads up friends. Lots of mess goin' on out there. This is how elderly and compromised people get scammed. Scary stuff.
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scrappinmama
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,026
Member is Online
Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Aug 27, 2014 1:01:17 GMT
Lol good for you! These phone scams are getting out of hand. I worry about the elderly or cognitively delayed individuals that may fall for stuff like this. I know the Windows phone scam has been a big problem. I guess we shouldn't be surprised by this stuff, but I'm still disgusted.
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MaryMary
Pearl Clutcher
Lazy
Posts: 2,975
Jun 25, 2014 21:56:13 GMT
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Post by MaryMary on Aug 27, 2014 1:01:30 GMT
I'm sorry to hear that you're going to the slammer. ((HUGS))
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 27, 2014 1:06:02 GMT
Interestingly, I have been getting so many random calls that I started googling the numbers to see what and/or who is calling. This number (or a variation of) has come up a number of times on my caller id, but I haven't ever answered and I finally discarded my voice mail so I have never gotten a message. They haven't called my cell phone yet, but they do my home phone. And, additionally, there is someone who is really worried at Microsoft about the viruses they have detected on computer. They call me all the time to try to help me!!
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Post by doxielady on Aug 27, 2014 1:07:21 GMT
It makes me mad that they take advantage of innocent people who don't understand. Jerks!
And did they actually HAVE your address? Or were you suppose to supply your address so they could come arrest you? Although it would scare me if they actually had personal information.
I love your final comment! Priceless!
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Post by cadoodlebug on Aug 27, 2014 1:09:07 GMT
So, just a heads up friends. Lots of mess goin' on out there. This is how elderly and compromised people get scammed. Scary stuff.
This. As far as I'm concerned, people who prey on the elderly and compromised should get an automatic 30-year prison sentence with no chance of parole. But that's just me.
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,792
Jun 27, 2014 20:37:34 GMT
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Post by purplebee on Aug 27, 2014 1:10:49 GMT
My 89 year old, hard of hearing Mom has twice received the "Hi Grandma, this is your Grandson and I am in trouble" scam calls recently. She didn't recognize the voice, and handed the phone to my sis, who took care of THAT particular Grandson. Her grands don't call her "Grandma" so that was a heads up for her. Might mention to your parents/Grandparents that this scam is going around, and don't fall for what sounds like a stranger claiming to be a grandchild in trouble. Miserable scam artists....
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Post by monklady123 on Aug 27, 2014 1:14:53 GMT
Yes, we've had this one in my house also. He called for my dh. This was an Indian accent, very thick. Like the kind you get when you call Dell tech support. (not that I EVER have to do that again; they're why I switched to Apple. But that's another thread...) -- Anyway, accent so thick that it's very difficult to understand, and I taught English in Africa and can do accents very well. He called twice, leaving messages both times. My dh called him back from his office, where the scammer's Caller ID would show "Untd St Govt". Hopefully he would understand that as "United States Government". Dh was hoping to get a live person because he was going to say something ambiguous like "Hello, I'm calling from Washington, from the federal government" (all true)... then just trail off and see what the person might say. However, of course no one answered. Probably scared. I always worry about my parents and things like this, even though I've warned them many times. However, in this case the guy's heavy accent combined with my parents' hearing loss would probably mean they couldn't have a real conversation.
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Post by myboysnme on Aug 27, 2014 1:16:03 GMT
My son almost got suckered trying to rent an apt at school. Thankfully we recognized the scam pretty quickly before he gave up too much info. I felt bad because in his initial contact he was trying to make himself a good applicant they would want to rent to, and they were scammers. Who would think replying to an ad for near campus housing that someone sitting in Nigeria would steal a listing to scam a college kid? I didn't even think of it.
Basically, they advertise a property for a reasonable price. It is a property they have taken from another rental site. After you contact them with the initial info they request, they come back with long emails in broken English, saying they are missionaries out of the country and you have to send them the rent and they will send you the key.
I asked them on his behalf to see the property first; they came back with "we told you we are out of the country." We did not respond to that and that was fortunately the last we heard. They probably took his introduction info and used it for some nefarious purpose.
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back to *pea*ality
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys ~refugee pea #59
Posts: 3,149
Jun 25, 2014 19:51:11 GMT
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Post by back to *pea*ality on Aug 27, 2014 1:18:55 GMT
My local PD put a notice on their Facebook page about a scam going on where a call is made to grandma or grandpa that their grandchild is in trouble and in a distressing situation and they need Western Union check ASAP.
These crooks are scumbags.
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Post by Sassy Sabrina SWZ on Aug 27, 2014 1:21:03 GMT
This IRS scam is ringing a bell--if it's the same one I heard about a couple years ago, they tell you that you need to pay the "debt" via Bitcoin--something I'd never heard of till then. Or is this a different scam? Now, if only I could get "Steve" to stop calling me from the Microsoft Technical Department in India.
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Post by txdancermom on Aug 27, 2014 1:26:47 GMT
Our local crime watch is warning of one where people are sending notices that the local fire department is coming by to do "safety checks" and when someone arrives they are there only to rob the person.
they have also warned about the IRS scam
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Post by molove on Aug 27, 2014 1:28:50 GMT
No, nothing mentioned about Bitcoin. Jeff Morgan did not seem to have my address but from what I've read about this scam, they sometimes have the last 4 of your SSN. I'm sure the police would have gotten that information out of me because they had to deliver the file. Jeff Morgan never asked me for money directly. He was clearly phase 1 of the scam.
My mom had the "Grandma Scam" happen as well. I will never understand why she didn't realize it wasn't my daughter. They talk on the phone daily, see each other all the time. She even said it didn't sound like her but the girl said it was because she had been in jail and was crying all night. My mom has been THOROUGHLY trained to never, ever give any information or money. She always has them call me or my sister. This one got her very upset though. It really ticked me off.
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Post by mollycoddle on Aug 27, 2014 1:30:25 GMT
I get lots of calls from cities all over the country and don't recognize the number. I don't answer; they can leave a message, but they hardly ever do. Just got one tonight from St. Louis-don't know anyone there. They did not leave a message.
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Post by molove on Aug 27, 2014 1:32:14 GMT
I've been getting a lot of calls too (from across the US) and now I go in and block the caller every single time I get one.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Aug 27, 2014 1:34:05 GMT
Of course, the other dead giveaway is that if they ARE taking legal action against you, the sheriff is going to show up with either a warrant or a summons, so....
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Post by lovetodigi on Aug 27, 2014 1:40:09 GMT
You should have told him that you work for the IRS as Manager over the department that handles collections and this is not how the IRS handles things.. Let him think about that for awhile.
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Post by jlynnbarth on Aug 27, 2014 2:25:32 GMT
We haven't gotten this one yet, but we had the microsoft one 3 times. Twice it was a man with a heavy accent and once it was a woman.
My FIL has had the troubled Grandson one 3 times. Once was my "son" calling from Montana in prison. Prison not jail. Lol you can't get bailed out of Prison. That was last year. The other 2 were 2 days in a row, just a couple weeks ago. The first day my "son" was in a jail in T.J. Mexico. Please don't tell Dad!!!! Just send me money for bail! The next day was from San Diego jail. Lol He got out of Mexico quick and got re-arrested the next day!! Too bad my real son is actually in Tech School with the Airforce or we might have believed it. :/
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Post by Goldynn on Aug 27, 2014 2:30:28 GMT
I hope you haven't wasted any time and you're eating all your favorite foods before the police come and arrest you. I hope you think about what you've done while you're in jail, you should take things more SERIOUSLY!
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Post by scrapsotime on Aug 27, 2014 2:34:20 GMT
My mother has gotten the grandson calling one. She was suspicious from the begining because when the grandchildren get in trouble they want to keep it from grandma. She would be the last one they called.
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Post by scrapmaven on Aug 27, 2014 3:30:00 GMT
Hey, I was threatened w/debtor's prison during a robocall. What nerve. At least have the guts to scam me to my face.
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Post by freecharlie on Aug 27, 2014 3:34:35 GMT
We got that one. It cracked me up that the police were sitting at the end of my block and would arrest me within the hour (30 45 minutes or something) considering we have a small force and only one or two cops on duty at any time. I loved that my small town cop was going to do the IRS's business.
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Post by blueeyedpups on Aug 27, 2014 5:30:48 GMT
We had the bogus IRS calls last week. We didn't answer, but they left 3 messages. LOL
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anniebygaslight
Drama Llama
I'd love a cup of tea. #1966
Posts: 7,402
Location: Third Rock from the sun.
Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on Aug 27, 2014 6:06:48 GMT
We get the 'microsoft' experts regularly. I keep a referee's whistle by the phone and give them a blast. They soon hang up.
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SuPeaNatural
Full Member
AUSTRALIA
Posts: 424
Jun 27, 2014 8:49:11 GMT
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Post by SuPeaNatural on Aug 27, 2014 7:24:25 GMT
These scammers have good imaginations, they're always coming up with something different. You handled it so well, I love that you strung him along. I giggle at the mental image of him getting angrier and angrier.
I hope you reported it to the authorities. I'd also consider telling the media, they might do a PSA and maybe spare some poor elderly person from falling for it.
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Post by DinCA on Aug 27, 2014 8:14:37 GMT
I got this one recently. I hadn't heard of it before but it sounded so ridiculous, I laughed out loud. I don't trust most of the phone calls we receive on our landline so I googled it. I'm sure it's worked for them before, though - and that makes me mad - because they would have moved on to another scam if it wasn't working.
We've had calls from our credit card companies to verify purchase or to ask if we're interested in various programs and we won't talk to them unless THEY can prove who they are or can give us a number we can call to talk to them. I've even told them to send me the offer through the mail.
Today a local elderly woman got a call from someone pretending to be her grandson, telling her he was in trouble and needed $2000 cash immediately. She came very close to giving him the money because he sounded enough like her grandson but told him she would have to call her daughter first. Her daughter told her it was a scam and they called the police.
Oh, and the other thing I've noticed is that the numbers are no longer 1-800 or 1-888 but local numbers. I know people are desperate but geez...
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Post by monklady123 on Aug 27, 2014 10:27:38 GMT
This is why I never, ever answer any phone call beginning with 800 or 888. But the scammers are onto that, so now that are calling from regular numbers, in hopes that I will pick up. Unfortunately, if you are calling from area code 516 and the caller ID reads "Marketing Fraud", chances are I still not going to answer the phone! That happened last week. Lol! I haven't had the "marketing fraud" area code, but the ones that make me are the ones with some odd area code and the caller ID says "local area". um... "local" to who? It's not one of the four area codes that I consider "local" near me. I googled one of those "local area" calls once and it was an Iowa area code! rofl.
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Aug 27, 2014 11:09:10 GMT
My 89 year old, hard of hearing Mom has twice received the "Hi Grandma, this is your Grandson and I am in trouble" scam calls recently. She didn't recognize the voice, and handed the phone to my sis, who took care of THAT particular Grandson. Her grands don't call her "Grandma" so that was a heads up for her. Might mention to your parents/Grandparents that this scam is going around, and don't fall for what sounds like a stranger claiming to be a grandchild in trouble. Miserable scam artists.... This happened to my mother recently. Someone claiming to me my nephew claimed he was in a car accident, didn't have insurance, and needed to settle quick with the other driver. ( "Please don't tell my parents!" ) And he gave her instructions on how to handle the money part (put it on some card?) and he would call later to follow up. So, she immediately called my sister and found out his other grandmother had also received a call like this, and then went to the police. Nephew couldn't figure out if it was someone who got his info and relationships off the internet, or someone who knows him in person, but he was pissed at the thought it might be. On the plus side, he made it a point to visit his grandma and give her a big hug.
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 27, 2014 11:41:44 GMT
After checking my email this morning, I was reminded that these scammer types are hitting up people via email lately also. They keep sending emails that say things like "package undeliverable, click here for details" or "you went through a toll plaza without paying, click here to review your bill." My favorite is from a fake law firm that says that there is legal action pending against you and you need to respond ASAP-a variation of the phone call. If you click, it downloads malware that either hijacks your computer or allows them to get information from your computer. So you should probably warn all the naive people you know to NOT CLICK THE LINKS.
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Post by mtscrapper on Aug 27, 2014 11:58:21 GMT
My father-in-law got the grandparent one, too. My son was serving an LDS mission in San Jose, California at the time. The "grandson" told him he was in Haiti and got separated from his "friend" and he was in jail now.
My FIL went so far as to get money out of his account (I think it was $6500) and he was headed to wire the money when he (thankfully) thought enough to call me. He asked me if Haiti was part of my son's mission - not even close to California at all. I knew he was being scammed immediately and told him so, but he was so concerned that I had to call my son's mission and make sure he was where he was supposed to be, which of course he was.
My FIL afterward said it was weird that the person called him "grandpa." My kids call my FIL "papa" all the time and have not once called him "grandpa." I just wonder why he didn't figure it was a scam immediately then. He is usually pretty with it as far as stuff like that goes, but he does have a heart of gold and would help anyone (especially his own grandkids if they were in trouble), so maybe that played into it.
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