They're at it again: Hello, a pause, this is a final notice from the IRS

[question everything]

So to repeat: the IRS does not call on anyone on the phone. (Unless, I suppose, it was pre arranged with an agent).

Just hang up.

There was a recent story by a tax attorney reporting of three voice mails, with the same message, different phone numbers to call.

Don't call! Don't talk! Hang up!

[niyad]

1. my response is, 'do you mind repeating this for my recorder?, and I will just wait

for the marshal to show up with the warrant"

[Peacetrain]

6. ^^^^^

[Liberal In Texas]

2. I get these robo calls all the time.

On both land lines and cell phone.

It's sad that these people are probably preying mostly on elderly people.

[Eleanors38]

3. Oh, if it only were.

[Freddie]

4. I've gotten these too

The IRS *always* communicates by snail mail.
There's a place on the IRS website (IRS.gov) to report these.
There's a special place in hell for scammers that target senior citizens. I had a great-aunt that lived alone for far too long. She would get charity "invoices" and thinking they were regular bills, just pay them. Of course then the "bills" just kept coming from every "charity" known to man. When the bank finally took over her finances they found she'd written many thousands in checks to these places. Nothing they could do.

[question everything]

5. This is really sad

It could be nice if banks and credit cards would notice if there is something out of the ordinary. If they would have a list of suspicious solicitors.

Several years ago my spouse answered an unsolicited phone call and agreed to an extended warranty offer on our vehicle. As it happened we talked about perhaps purchasing one as a major work was done on the vehicle after the warranty expired but the dealer did not charge us.

No sooner after the call ended, that our credit card - Capital One - called and emailed to alert us about a suspicious activity. We cancelled and were issued a new credit card.

It still bugs me that the state DMV sells information about new vehicles, including the VIN number and, of course, our name and address. When I asked I was forwarded a document full of legal terms that, essentially, allowed them to provide the info for "interested parties."

[WillowTree]

13. I've gotten several of those calls lately, and they always make me laugh.

I traded my older Acura in on a new Hyundai three years ago. Considering Hyundai's 5 year/10 year warranty, if I still had that car, there would still be two years left on the b-to-b warranty. But I traded that one in last year so my current car still has 4 years of initial warranty left. When they call, I start by asking what car they're talking about having an "expiring" warranty and they invariably just hang up.

[procon]

7. They constantly flood my answering machine.

Same voice, same message, different phone numbers. The IDs often show up as various government agencies, or something like "prize winner", "urgent warning", or "Final Notice".

Is it mostly land line users who get these scams ? I'm stuck in a fringe area with really bad cell service, so a hardwired phone is the most reliable choice.

[Nye Bevan]

8. FYI the real IRS will NOT demand that you use iTunes gift cards to pay your taxes (nt)

[question everything]

15. iTunes gift card?? This is really funny (nt)

[gratuitous]

9. Wouldn't it be nice if Congress did something about this?

But introducing and voting on go-nowhere bills to repeal Obamacare has become their full-time activity.

[csziggy]

10. Report them to the IRS - link in message

IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting - https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml

[colsohlibgal]

11. I Screen All Calls

If I don't recognize the number, particularly if it's from out of my area, I don't answer. I figure if it is legit they will leave a message.

[Trekologer]

12. Have a little fun with them

Don't give out real information but play a long for a while. See how long you can keep them on the phone. I had one for nearly 2 hours.

[question everything]

16. I think that the ones we get are robocalls. At least, we hang up so don't follow

the whole message. Perhaps next time I will.

Did not hear from them for months and, all of a sudden, two this week.

[REP]

14. When I got one of those calls, I told him I was an IRS agent

I asked him a bunch of IRS employee identification questions (my mother did work for the IRS), and of course he wasn't a good enough con to try to even fake an answer. I told him he was violating Federal law and to expect a visit very soon. He hung up super quick.

So I called him back. Told him we know where you are. Then I hung up.

I'm easily amused.