Crooks trying to scare people into paying phony tax bills have been calling my home phone daily this past week. The calls are robocalls from different phone numbers, all with caller IDs created to make me think the calls are official.
The message is very clipped and threatens arrest on a “no bail” warrant if I don’t call the number. Today’s caller mentioned a Federal court case against me and something about a grand jury.
Oh, my!
Give a listen to today’s call and a couple more (hit stop to keep the threats from looping)
These calls are designed to scare people into calling the bad guys and paying made-up tax bills with credit card or bank transfers.
The real Internal Revenue Service (IRS) never calls, emails, or posts on social media demands like this. They also don’t suddenly take you to court or convene grand juries.
The threatening calls I’ve gotten are crass, delivered in heavily accented English, and easily dismissed as false… especially since I work for a CPA firm and know a bit about the rules. Plus, I know I am up to date on my taxes!
But, obviously some people fall for these high pressure ruses.
Don’t let it be you. And, talk to older relatives, newcomers to the country, or other people that may not know the IRS’s processes. Make sure they know not to give in to these crooks!
For more information tax scams, see what the IRS says. If you get a call yourself, report it to the IRS by email or report the scam via an online form.
And, if you need the help of a real accountant, please contact us at 415.433.4500!