Scam alert!!

[flamin lib]

I just got a call from the "IRS" about a $2400 tax refund for the last three year's tax returns. The voice was heavily accented and the background noise was definitely phone bank. The amount was too great to send a check so it has to be direct deposit. All he needs is to verify my bank amount number, name and address.

I asked for a supervisor--no supervisor.
I asked for a call back number--no call back number.
I asked for a division name--no division name, just IRS.

I finally said fuck you and hung up.

[Joanne98]

1. Nigeria strikes again

[mcscajun]

12. Nope. Not Nigeria; this scam is fully home-grown.

And comes in a variety of flavors/sizes.

[0007]

13. This was not Nigeria. Or at least the one I received about an hour ago.

It was a machine actuation voice. No reply when I spoke.

[hwmnbn]

2. Nigeria, my ass!!..

This sounds like some RNC bullshit. :rofl:

[wishlist]

3. I have heard about this IRS tax refund scam being done via email too n/t

[angstlessk]

4. the US government thinks $2,400 is a lot of fucking money...LMFAO!!!!

you brought tears to my eyes! thanks for the heads up!

[lonestarnot]

5. I like the fuck you part.

:applause:

[napi21]

6. You KNOW it's BS! IF they find an error and owe you $$, all they do

is send you a check with a letter of explaination! Of course, they do the same thing if YOU OWE THEM!!!!

[Warpy]

7. They had no problem sending me a $12,000 refund check last year

and Federal checks are cut for over a million routinely, so you did a good thing. I sincerely hope you did say "fuck you." They deserved it. The only other thing you can do now is call the fraud squad at your local TV stations and also call the cops and report the scam. A call to Ma Bell might be in order, too, just so they know what's going on. There's nothing they can do about it, but they'd want to know.

If something sounds too good to be true, it's not true. Alerting folks on DU is a great idea, but your work isn't quite done.

[flamin lib]

8. Actually the conversation was a bit longer than I reported.

He said he needed my account number and I asked for a supervisor. He said there was not supervisor. I said, "You work in a federal office answering phones and there is no supervisor on duty?" He said yes, there was no supervisor. I said, "What kind of fucking idiot do you think I am?" He replied, "Look do you want this money or not?" That's when I said, "Fuck you!" and hung up.

I emailed the IRS phishing department and at your suggestion will call the local news stations.

[Warpy]

9. Thanks!

You know there are folks out there who aren't as sophisticated as they should be who are going to fall for this one unless it gets out there.

Scams like this one have cleaned out the life savings of forgetful elderly folks who are having trouble making ends meet. Those are the main targets of theses scumbags.

[flamin lib]

10. At Warpy's advice I called AT&T. What an adventure in futility!

First I went to the web site. Lots of contact numbers, so I dialed the base line and entered 904 (for fraud) on the touch pad. Got a recorded voice that said, "If you suspect fraud, do not give out personal information . . ."

Okay, so I punched in 906 (report annoying or obscene phone calls) and got a recording, "If you receive an obscene phone call, hang up . . . "

I went back to the voice activated menu and said, "I want to speak to a human being."

AT&T, "I don't recognize that response, please rephrase and try again."

Me, "I want to speak to a person."

AT&T, "I don't recognize that response, can you re-word it and try again?"

Finally pushed pound and listened to two minutes of options to get to "other".

I'm on a 10 minute hold for somebody probably sitting next to the guy who called from the "IRS".

[mcscajun]

11. Brilliant!

Your handling of it, not the jackassine callbank. They are thieving idiots. It's just unfortunate SOMEONE will fall for it.

Do you have caller ID? And if so, did anything show up?

[flamin lib]

14. No caller ID on the land line, but I believe they called my cell phone

immediately before the land line and there was no caller ID there.

Update on on AT&T customer service: I finally got through to a human being. Waited 6-7 minutes. Said I wanted to report a fraud. Sorry, I can't take that information, I can give you an phone number to call for AT&T fraud. First I am required to read you this disclaimer, "We will access your account records to inform you of other services from AT&T that might interest you . . . "

"Uh, wait a minute. I want to report a fraud and you won't let me unless you get to pitch new services?"

"Yes Sir, I am required to read that disclaimer."

"AT&T is a bad as the fraud I'm trying to report! See ya'!" and hang up.