I called the number back and some lady just answered "hello". I said sorry I was trying to get the IRS and of course all of a sudden she was the IRS. I told her she was a crook and her number had been reported. Surprisingly, she hung up

I asked him if he could replace just the broken pane of the window. He had no idea and started to say something else, but I beat him at the click too!

For a good time call 11 Bravo

They can only return your call. If everyone knows this, the scam is dead.

I love your story, 11 Bravo! Thanks for sharing it.

but unfortunately many don't. These guys probably 'earn' a pretty penny from this scam.

My friend in Florida has a neighbor who immigrated from the Middle East a few years ago. Neighbor got one of those calls and freaked. She was terrified. Fortunately, she came to my friend for help before she did anything. Friend gave her the straight skinny and told her to ignore it.

If it hadn't been for my friend, neighbor might have been robbed blind.

It's time to start reporting this. I've been getting the calls for the past week, daily. Today's the first day I returned their call, but received no response. ACTION, next.

Unfortunately, too many people never read a newspaper or watch any news at all or consult any source of any information whatsoever, it's slipped underneath the radar of too many people.

I'm thinking I've known about this for two years or so. Likewise the phone call from Microsoft. That's been out there even longer.

until she called me, the mother/lawyer.

having at one point had a 2 year old of my own, but this is something I keep on reading about in lots of places, not just here on DU.

and will never demand payment over the phone.

Wanted to make sure they had the right address/ my phone number and told me I was being audited. They did audit me too!

This was in 97 so maybe they changed their policy or this particular agent screwed up but it happened for sure.

Or perhaps right when the net was taking off. Back then there was nowhere near the level of scams and phishing as we have now.

.... carry on....

If that question doesn't cause them to hang up, I go on to "And what is the name of your company? Is that a corporation, an LLC or an LLP? Where are you located? You don't know? How do you get to work in the morning, if you don't know where you are? Can I speak to your supervisor?" When the supervisor comes on the line, start all over again. Don't yell, don't be abrupt. Speak in a nice, even tone. They'll be gone before you know it.

It would cut down on the number of people they could disturb in a day.

Exactly the same auto voice message "this is IRS ......" The Do Not Call registry ask how much was I scammed for. I write "nothing". But maybe I should say a million dollars. Maybe then they'll return my call.

and he had a couple of questions.

Done this 3 times and each time I get quickly disconnected.

Effin' crooks-- makes my blood boil

They left a voicemail saying that charges would be filed if we didn't call back

I know better and it still made me nervous

I have stopped taking calls--I wait for the answering machine to pick up.... BUT....for a long time I would take the calls and interrupt them and say how glad I was they called then I would start talking without waiting for their spiel ---about the book I was reading...the flowers in my yard ....the loveliness of the day. It was fun and quite exhilarating, I felt as if I were on stage. As I was describing one book I was reading the person (with a foreign accent that I couldn't identify) on the other end ask for the name of the book. So perhaps not all in vain---I stopped because the calls just kept a coming and a coming.

that usually scares them.

I've gotten a handful of calls from the IRS saying they have filed a lawsuit against me, blah, blach blach.

I filled out that scam report too, but I still got/get calls once in a while with the same message.

It could be scary for people who don't realize it's a scam.

(may just steal it for next time)

and they have a new policy where they will accept iTunes gift cards to pay back taxes.

It's not your father's IRS anymore.

or maybe the FBI. I don't have to tell the truth. I hate people who scam other people for money. They prey on the elderly, poor, desperate and uneducated. The scammers and con artists are scumbags.

that they are damming their souls to the eternal fire of hell for lying for money.

I'm going to call back and say (in my best little old lady voice), "Dear, why didn't you tell your mother that you're a thief and you're working for thieves?"

To someone calling for a Trump contribution.
Fun!

I told them that as long as their organization endorsed Trump, they could stop calling me.

The calls from these bozo's stopped when I said I would contribute (in my best southern accent) when they stopped shooting black people... There was a long pause and he said thankyou and hung up.. Before this I would ask to speak to a cop or give me a phone number for a cop... Another ploy is to say "can you hold for a second" and just put the phone down and continue with what you were doing.. Eventually they hang up.. They waste your time? I waste theirs...
HeHe... that was fun...
m

Comcast even charged you MORE if you didn't take their landline deal. Literally every call was someone selling something.

Then we ditched Comcast.

Truth be known I'd just as soon cut the cable, er. satellite now 'cause pretty much all anyone does here is time shift due to repetitive commercials and shitty programming. If I want to watch something I stream.

I'd miss football games on Sunday tho'.

I've been watching pro cycling and Formula 1 racing. For a while I watching T20 cricket which is very entertaining.

Take the package with the landline. Just don't plug a phone in.

I cut my cable and just kept the internet. Got a Roku box, a good HD Antenna for the local channels, Netflix and Sling TV for ESPN.

Never looked back.

You can get a deal on the Roku box when you sign up for Sling TV

https://www.sling.com/devices/roku?mkwid=sBPQh0aNw%7Cpcrid%7C99542966537%7Cpkw%7Csling%20tv%20roku%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cpdv%7Cc&cvosrc=ppc.google.D_B_COM_Roku%20Terms_Brand_Alpha_sling&cvo_crid=99542966537&matchtype=e&campaign=D_B_COM_Roku%20Terms_Brand_Alpha_sling&group=sling%20tv%20roku&cvo_keyword=sling%20tv%20roku&gclid=CJ-DvLzIpc8CFRVZhgod7skNow

https://www.roku.com/how-it-works

That leaves them stuttering too!

you can always send em here:

http://www.jollyrogertelco.com/

I, too, have had these scam calls but be careful in your response. I responded in a somewhat similar manner and asked the simple question as to how they could sleep at night, knowing that they were cheating people. They started calling more frequently. Tried blabber, tried German, tried all sorts of thing to discourage them but it only got worse. They called 2 to 3 times a day, different numbers each time, and just harassed me (strangely not on Saturdays or Sundays). We are talking months now. Finally I just dropped my land line ( had planned on this anyway). These people are a scourge. Might feel good to give them a hard time but you might just be asking for problems.

They threatened her with jail time if she didn't make a payment by the end of the day. I tried to assure her that the real IRS doesn't operate that way. Scammers have been calling and leaving me threatening voice mails as well. I wanted to have some fun with them and finally picked up but it was a robocall that included a callback number. I didn't bother to call back.

for buying drugs online or something so I said, "Ok well let me take a shower first"

And he hung up.


The money in these scams is drying up methinks.

Then put the phone down and go back to what I was doing. Eventually the phone would make the receiver off the hook sound and I would hang it up.

On my cell...the first one was a voicemail like yours. Of course I just deleted and moved on.

A few days later I had a real person call with some sort of Indian or Middle Eastern accent. It was hysterical. He kept saying "You are in serious trouble" and "You will be sent to jail." I started cracking up laughing and he was getting more pissed off and threatening me. I said "Send me your checking account number and I will wire my money into that right away." Silence. Then he went right back on script with "You are in SERIOUS trouble." Told him to fuck off and I hung up. I don't think they ever called back.

I've read that sometimes they call local 911 (spoofing your home caller ID info) on a separate line while you're still on the phone. When the local police arrive people rush to pay before opening the door.

IRS advice on handling these scams; https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/phone-scams-continue-to-be-a-serious-threat-remain-on-irs-dirty-dozen-list-of-tax-scams-for-the-2016-filing-season?_ga=1.139648051.1057560138.1471900181

Also because they're impersonating a Treasury official, you can report these calls to the treasury Inspector General for tax Administration. https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml

"Hi, welcome to Sam's Shop of Smut and Pornography; we got thirty-seven perversions, count 'em, thirty-seven; today's special is all grannies half off-- may I be able to interest you in German dungeon femdom, or maybe some prime Japanese monster porn?"

Has to be delivered like a carnival barker, fast enough to leave their head spinning-- but every so often, you do get to pick up some amazing sputterings and/or apologoies.