You receive a telephone call and your caller ID says, “IRS,” or “FBI,” and the call originates from a “202” Washington DC area code. You decide not to take the call, instead, you’ve been reading our blogs and opt to verify the phone number which seems legit. Instead, of calling the number back, you wait for them to try you again, just in case, because you’re playing it safe.
You receive another phone call from the same number, this time, you take it, and they end up asking you for money, is it real? Of course not, it’s an imposter!
The person calling you isn’t from the IRS, FBI or any other agency, they are a government imposter and their goal is to convince you to send them money. How do you know? They are asking you to send them money.
Terms and Tactics
Many imposters pretend they’re with a government agency to scare you into sending them money. They’ll frighten you with terms like unpaid taxes, unpaid debts and that you’ll be arrested unless you call them back with a loaded prepaid debit card and pay up. No government agency would ever ask you to call them back with a debit card number.
Other scammers promise you money, there’s a big prize for you to claim. They say the FBI or some other agency is supervising the sweepstakes, and that the money will be released as soon as you pay for the shipping, taxes, stocking fees, etc. There is no prize and no money, it’s all fake.
Things to Remember
Federal government agencies don’t ask people to send money for prizes or unpaid loans. They don’t supervise sweepstakes, and when the IRS contacts people about unpaid taxes, they usually do it by postal mail, not by phone.
Federal government agencies and employees also don’t ask people to wire money or use a prepaid debit card to pay for anything. Prepaid cards and money transfers are like sending cash — once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.
You can’t rely on caller ID. Scammers know how to show you the wrong caller ID information, it’s called spoofing. Some scammers may have personal information about you before they call, so don’t take that as a sign that they’re the real thing. If you’re not sure whether you’re dealing with the government, look up the official number of the agency.
What to DO
You can file a complaint with the FTC online.
IRS imposter scams also can be reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online at https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml
Sources
https://www.treasury.gov/Pages/default.aspx
The information found on the Gerstenberger Law site is for educational purposes only. Your situation and the situation of others is unique and more complex. This is neither legal advice nor to be considered legal advice. Contact us for advice about your specific situation