Tax Scam Number 1-206-486-9215
I got a call from a woman who claimed she was from the IRS.
I listened as she told me that the IRS was ‘about’ to launch a criminal
prosecution against me.
My only salvation was an immediate call to discuss payment of back taxes.
She provided a call back and badge number.
I felt panic even though I knew the call was bogus.
Her tone was intimidating and she closed by saying, “If you don’t return
my call you are responsible for the consequences!
I thought, damn she’s good.
So convincing I thought I might be wrong.
Either way I go to jail as I have nothing to declare but my–well, nothing.
I looked up the number and to my relief saw that it’s a scam.
Yay!
I decided to see when the scam began.
The first report I found is on the IRS website dated January 2015:
R-2015-05, Jan. 22, 2015
WASHINGTON — Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain near the top of the annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for the 2015 filing season, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent months as scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things. The IRS reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games that arise during any filing season.
“If someone calls unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS with aggressive threats if you don’t pay immediately, it’s a scam artist calling,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.
“The first IRS contact with taxpayers is usually through the mail. Taxpayers have rights, and this is not how we do business.”
People are still be falling for it.
02/10/2016
E.C. woman loses $8,000 in IRS scam
EAST CHICAGO — A 38-year-old East Chicago woman lost $8,000 in an IRS scam Tuesday, police said.
The woman was walking to work when she received a phone call from a man who identified himself as Eric Martin and said she owed $8,000 to the Internal Revenue Service from the previous three years’ tax returns, police Lt. Marguerite Wilder said.
The man had her personal information and told her an arrest warrant would be issued if she did not pay immediately. Fearing she might be jailed, she withdrew the cash, Wilder said.
She sent the money via Money gram to a location in Lansing, but it was received in Houston, Texas, police said.
So here’s what I do to protect myself.
I never answer unknown numbers.
Had this been a call from the IRS I would have seen it with caller I.D.
I always run a search for unknown numbers.
I ran a search for 1-206-486-9215 and found this:
Phone number 1-206-486-9215 has been reported on 02-10-2016. Read all comments posted on this number so far. You can contribute by replying to this report.
As of January 2016 5,000 victims have paid out more than $26.5 million.
Biggest phone scam in IRS history continues to grow as tax season approaches
Protect yourself.
Never respond to demands for money.
Report scam numbers.
